Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar had accused the SGPC and Akal Takht Jathedar of taking directions from RSS
Rajay Deep
Bathinda
Expressing his anguishes against the SGPC members who, under the patronage of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and led by ‘Panj Piaras’, held Nagar Kirtan on Saturday to mark the celebrations for Parkash Utsav (birth anniversary) of Guru Gobind Singh ji in accordance with the schedule given by Akal Takht, the Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh has invited yet another trouble for him.
Sounding united all SGPC members of Bathinda and Mansa districts, reacting over the news published in some newspapers including Daily Post on Sunday, opened a front against Nandgarh and even urged the Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh to summon him at the highest temporal seat of Sikhs for hurting the sentiments of Sikhs with his ‘slanderous’ gesture.
It is pertinent to mention that claiming that the date (December 28) was incorrect for the celebrations as the day according to Nanakshahi calendar falls on January 5, the head of Sikhs fourth temporal seat (Takht Damdama Sahib) Balwant Singh Nandgarh had not only avoided participating in the Saturday’s Nagar Kirtan held in Talwandi Sabo but also charged the SGPC members of just complying with the directions of the Hindus’ right-wing body Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) by holding the event according to their calendar (Bikrami calendar).
While saying no to the SGPC members who had approached him to convince for attending the occasion, Jathedar on Saturday had strongly said that it was all against Sikh history and attending that he didn’t want to commit ‘sin’ like them.
“If I attend this procession it means I do acknowledge the Bikrami calendar, which I can’t even dream about. As of my knowledge about Sikhism, we should all go by the Nanakshahi calendar, which says the day falls on January 5,” Jathedar had said.
While speaking to selected media persons at his official residence in the premises of Takht Damadama Sahib, he on Saturday had said: “Some greedy and selfish people have been consistently misleading the innocent Sikh Sangat in respect of Nanakshahi Calender just for the vested interests.”
“Cults in Punjab are the gift of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) whose members opposed the termination of article 25 (2) (b) of constitution which states that Sikhs are part of the Hindu religion. And I am 100 per cent confident that the whole controversy is being created just to please the RSS leaders, who are now in power in the country,” he had said.
“It’s very painful for me to say but the SGPC is now following the path directed by some politicians who can’t afford annoying RSS and in the whole scene our respected Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib also failed to understand the issue which I have been raising loud and clear, just for the identity of Sikhs,” rued an emotional Nandgarh.
Though Nandgarh was already in tussle with Akal Takht and SGPC since he demanded for the implementation of Nanakshahi Calendar, his statement in the newspapers on Sunday irked the SGPC members from Bathinda region including Mohan Singh Bangi, Baba Sukhchain Singh Dharampura, Baba Buta Singh Gurthadi, Bhai Amrik Singh Kotshamir, Bhai Gurpreet Singh Jhabbar, Bhai Surjit Singh Raipur, Jathedar Gurtej Singh Dhadde and Jathedar Gurtej Singh Jodhpur.
Furious they all asked Nandgarh to recall his own statements of few days back when jumping into the controversy erupted over the demand of separate SGPC in Haryana, he had appealed all Sikhs to respect the existing SGPC as a supreme body with also scuttling the move of those demanding for splitting it.
“Now, Jathedar has himself gone against the SGPC and ironically, not only the SGPC but also the Akal Takht and the Sikh Sangat too,” rued the SGPC members, adding that, “Labeling all as the agents of RSS just for participating in the religious activity he has hurt the sentiments of Sikh community. So, we now want him to be summoned at Akal Takht and justify his words there before the priest of the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Besides, the SGPC president should also initiate action against him.”
It is pertinent to mention that earlier for his controversial statements the government had withdrawn his security cover. Further, he was also asked to tender resignation from the seat, which he had denied, as learnt.
On his part, an unfazed Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh said, “Such gestures hardly bother me. Let Akal Takht summon me, I will give the appropriate reply.”
Bathinda
Expressing his anguishes against the SGPC members who, under the patronage of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and led by ‘Panj Piaras’, held Nagar Kirtan on Saturday to mark the celebrations for Parkash Utsav (birth anniversary) of Guru Gobind Singh ji in accordance with the schedule given by Akal Takht, the Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh has invited yet another trouble for him.
Sounding united all SGPC members of Bathinda and Mansa districts, reacting over the news published in some newspapers including Daily Post on Sunday, opened a front against Nandgarh and even urged the Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh to summon him at the highest temporal seat of Sikhs for hurting the sentiments of Sikhs with his ‘slanderous’ gesture.
It is pertinent to mention that claiming that the date (December 28) was incorrect for the celebrations as the day according to Nanakshahi calendar falls on January 5, the head of Sikhs fourth temporal seat (Takht Damdama Sahib) Balwant Singh Nandgarh had not only avoided participating in the Saturday’s Nagar Kirtan held in Talwandi Sabo but also charged the SGPC members of just complying with the directions of the Hindus’ right-wing body Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) by holding the event according to their calendar (Bikrami calendar).
While saying no to the SGPC members who had approached him to convince for attending the occasion, Jathedar on Saturday had strongly said that it was all against Sikh history and attending that he didn’t want to commit ‘sin’ like them.
“If I attend this procession it means I do acknowledge the Bikrami calendar, which I can’t even dream about. As of my knowledge about Sikhism, we should all go by the Nanakshahi calendar, which says the day falls on January 5,” Jathedar had said.
While speaking to selected media persons at his official residence in the premises of Takht Damadama Sahib, he on Saturday had said: “Some greedy and selfish people have been consistently misleading the innocent Sikh Sangat in respect of Nanakshahi Calender just for the vested interests.”
“Cults in Punjab are the gift of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) whose members opposed the termination of article 25 (2) (b) of constitution which states that Sikhs are part of the Hindu religion. And I am 100 per cent confident that the whole controversy is being created just to please the RSS leaders, who are now in power in the country,” he had said.
“It’s very painful for me to say but the SGPC is now following the path directed by some politicians who can’t afford annoying RSS and in the whole scene our respected Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib also failed to understand the issue which I have been raising loud and clear, just for the identity of Sikhs,” rued an emotional Nandgarh.
Though Nandgarh was already in tussle with Akal Takht and SGPC since he demanded for the implementation of Nanakshahi Calendar, his statement in the newspapers on Sunday irked the SGPC members from Bathinda region including Mohan Singh Bangi, Baba Sukhchain Singh Dharampura, Baba Buta Singh Gurthadi, Bhai Amrik Singh Kotshamir, Bhai Gurpreet Singh Jhabbar, Bhai Surjit Singh Raipur, Jathedar Gurtej Singh Dhadde and Jathedar Gurtej Singh Jodhpur.
Furious they all asked Nandgarh to recall his own statements of few days back when jumping into the controversy erupted over the demand of separate SGPC in Haryana, he had appealed all Sikhs to respect the existing SGPC as a supreme body with also scuttling the move of those demanding for splitting it.
“Now, Jathedar has himself gone against the SGPC and ironically, not only the SGPC but also the Akal Takht and the Sikh Sangat too,” rued the SGPC members, adding that, “Labeling all as the agents of RSS just for participating in the religious activity he has hurt the sentiments of Sikh community. So, we now want him to be summoned at Akal Takht and justify his words there before the priest of the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Besides, the SGPC president should also initiate action against him.”
It is pertinent to mention that earlier for his controversial statements the government had withdrawn his security cover. Further, he was also asked to tender resignation from the seat, which he had denied, as learnt.
On his part, an unfazed Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh said, “Such gestures hardly bother me. Let Akal Takht summon me, I will give the appropriate reply.”
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