Akal Takht, Takht Patna Sahib resolve standoff

Amritsar, Jul 14 (PTI) The standoff between the Akal Takht and Takht Sri Patna Sahib was resolved on Monday after Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj held a meeting with the five Sikh high priests.

Takht Sri Patna Sahib in Bihar has now withdrawn all previous edicts that had declared Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and the jathedars (high priests) of the Akal Takht and Takht Damdama Sahib guilty of religious misconduct.

Takht Sri Patna Sahib is one of the five temporal seats of Sikhism. The Akal Takht in Amritsar is the supreme temporal seat.

After the meeting, a letter was sent by Takht Sri Patna Sahib withdrawing all previous edicts, and was accepted by the Akal Takht.

Subsequently, the Akal Takht here also withdrew edicts declaring three members of the Takht Patna Sahib 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct).

In a May 21 directive, the Akal Takht had barred Takht Sri Patna Sahib Jathedar and head 'granthi' Giani Baldev Singh and additional head 'granthi' Gurdial Singh from performing 'panthic' duties, leading to the confrontation between the two takhts.

In retaliation, the Takht Sri Patna Sahib declared Akal Takht Jathedar Gargaj and Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Tek Singh 'tankhaiya' on the same day and also summoned Badal before it for his "being a conspirator".

In his directive, Giani Baldev Singh had said that Badal "is declared 'tankhaiya' for being found guilty of ignoring the orders of the 'Panj Pyare Singh Sahibs' of Takht Sri Patna Sahib".

On Monday, a meeting of the five 'Singh Sahiban' was held under the leadership of officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gargaj at the Secretariat of Akal Takht here.

During this meeting, matters concerning Takht Sri Patna Sahib were discussed and resolved with mutual understanding and cooperation, said Jathedar Gargaj.

Talking to the media, Gargaj said that a meeting of Sikh clergy (five Sikh high priests) was held on Monday at the Akal Takht headed by him to resolve the ongoing standoff between Akal Takht and Takht Sri Patna Sahib.

All the issues were discussed and resolved with mutual understanding, he said.

At the meeting, three Sikh priests of Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib -- ”Giani Rajdeep Singh, Giani Sultan Singh, and Giani Kewal Singh -- and Bhai Tek Singh, Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, were present.

Jathedar Gargaj told the media that on May 12, the Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee had sent a letter requesting reconsideration of the decisions taken by the Akal Takht, in view of the interests of the "Khalsa Panth and the spirit of unity".

In the letter, the Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee expressed full submission to the supreme authority of Akal Takht and pledged continued allegiance in the future.

To deliberate on the contents of the letter, a meeting of the five Sikh high priests was convened here on Monday. In this, earlier resolutions passed during meetings of the five 'Singh Sahiban' at Akal Takht here were reconsidered in light of Panthic unity, the broader interests of the Sikh community. Necessary amendments were made.

Jathedar Gargaj stated that simultaneously, the 'Panj Piaras' of Takht Sri Patna Sahib also convened a meeting on Monday and accepted the supreme authority of Akal Takht. PTI JMS SUN KVK KVK