Sri Amritsar Sahib – After the controversial flip-flop on exonerating the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, the first meeting of five Takht Jathedars scheduled at Akal Takht tomorrow may witness furore.
After almost two months, Sikh high priests will meet at the Golden Temple on Monday in Amritsar to take up important religious issues, the foremost of which is amendment to the Ardas (prayer) at a gurdwara in United Arab Emirates (UAE).
However, this meeting of existing five takht jathedars has invited criticism from several quarters, including the Panj Pyaras.
This emergency meet was called by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh to deliberate over the controversial amendment introduced in “ardas” at a United Arab Emirates (UAE) gurdwara recently.
The Panj Pyaras along with some Sikh organisations and intellectuals opine that those takht heads who have already lost the faith of the Sikh community by pronouncing politically influenced decisions have lost all rights to decide such significant panthic issues.
One of the Panj Pyaras, Bhai Satnam Singh Khanda said they have already lodged their protest against tomorrow’s five takht heads’ meeting.
The Panthic Talmel Sangathan convener and former jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh, said, “The existing Takht heads have been disapproved by the community and if the SGPC takes any anti-Panj Pyara move, it would be another blow to sentiments of Sikh community.”
The SGPC executive body stands by Giani Gurbachan Singh and his fellow head priests. It has rejected the decision of the Akal Takht’s ‘Panj Pyaras’ (five beloved ones of the Guru) to seek the resignation of the jathedars of the Akal Takht, Keshgarh Sahib and Damdama Sahib.
Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the meeting coming up at the Akal Takht secretariat after interpreting likelihood of a protest as indicated by the Dal Khalsa, which has questioned the Takht jathedars’ authority to take important “panthic decisions”.