Amritsar, January 10
The Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, who has initiated a fresh Panthic debate by presenting a ‘siropa’ (robe of honour) to Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, acting chief of the Damdami Taksal at the Takht, has said that the SGPC and other Jathedars had adopted a ‘biased approach’ by giving recognition to the ‘parallel group’ of the Taksal, headed by Baba Ram Singh.
Spilling the beans, Jathedar Nandgarh revealed that he was called from Damdama Sahib to Amritsar by the Akal Takht Jathedar on January 2 on the pretext of ‘discussing some important agenda’.
However, he said when Jathedar Vedanti told him to accompany the SGPC office-bearers and other Sikh high priests to Sangrai, where Baba Ram Singh was present, he (Jathedar Nandgarh) categorically refused to become party to the internal affairs of the Taksal. He said both the SGPC and the Sikh clergy should have been neutral in this regard.
Jathedar Nandgarh justified presenting a ‘siropa’ to Baba Dhumma at Takht Damdama Sahib yesterday. He said he had done it as per traditions of the Sikh Panth. He said being a ‘neutral Jathedar’, he would also honour Baba Ram Singh whenever he visited Damdama Sahib.
Earlier, Mr Rajinder Singh Mehta, Adviser to the Shiromani Akali Dal had openly violated the ‘whip’ issued by the SGPC and Akal Takht to attend the parallel bhog ceremony at Sangrai. Instead he (Mr Mehta) attended the bhog ceremony of Baba Thakur Singh at Chowk Mehta on January 2.
The ‘siropa’ to Baba Dhumma at Takht Damdama Sahib has caught the attention of the Sikh Panth all over the world as it (the siropa) was denied to him at Akal Takht and Golden Temple.
