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Amritsar, Punjab: In a step that is bound to bring two Takhts into direct confrontation, the Akal Takht sought to set aside the dismissal of Giani Iqbal Singh as jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib.
The presence of Giani Iqbal Singh at the meeting of the Sikh high priests here on Thursday was enough to send a clear message to the management committee of Takht Patna Sahib that the Akal Takht continues to recognise Giani Iqbal Singh as the jathedar of this important Takht in the capital city of Bihar.
The management committee of Takht Patna Sahib had placed Giani Iqbal Singh under suspension after a group clash between two groups at Takht Patna Sahib on the Gurpurab of Guru Gobind Singh on January 7 and dismissed him on March 17. A letter signed by committee’s general secretary Charanjit Singh had been sent to Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh in January informing him of the decision.
In the letter, the copies of which were circulated among mediapersons here by a ‘messenger’ of the Patna Sahib management committee, Giani Gurbachan Singh had been requested not to allow Giani Iqbal Singh to attend the meeting of the Sikh high priests in his capacity as jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib.
However, ignoring the pleas of the committee, the Akal Takht jathedar allowed Giani Iqbal Singh to attend the meeting. Giani Iqbal Singh had remained absent from the last two meetings of the Sikh high priests held in January and February.
Questioned by the media, Giani Gurbachan Singh denied receiving any letter concerning Giani Iqbal Singh’s dismissal, saying, “For us, he is still the jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib.”
Source: HT
