Taking a serious note of the incident in which three SGPC employees were held with a sex worker in a sarai of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, the jathedar directed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to make “strict arrangements” at various serais.
He also directed SGPC members to stop patronising employees who indulge in such “illicit” practices.
Taking cognisance of the violation of tenets, the high priests today summoned the management of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib gurdwara for alleged shortcomings in performing “parkash” of a handwritten Guru Granth Sahib recently.
The handwritten Guru Granth Sahib “saroop” was prepared by Malaysia resident Jaswant Singh Khosa and was presented to Takht Damdama Sahib. The five high priests — Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, Golden Temple’s additional head priest Giani Jagtar Singh and Akal Takht’s head priest Giani Malkeet Singh — assembled at the Akal Takht secretariat today.
They summoned Takht Damdama Sahib head priest Giani Jagtar Singh, akhand path in charge Jarnail Singh, manager Jagjit Singh and Jaswant Singh at Akal Takht to clarify their stance.
As per the precedence, it was mandatory for any handwritten “saroop” to be sent to Akal Takht for revision and the mistakes, if any, had to be removed.
Thereafter, the “saroop” could go through the “parkash” ceremony. In the present case, the procedure was not followed. “This action was taken on the basis of an inquiry report submitted by the SGPC’s panel constituted for the purpose. The SGPC has been directed to take action against the management of Takht Damdama Sahib,” Giani Gurbachan Singh said.
CLERGY OSTRACISES SIKH WRITER HARJINDER SINGH DILGEER, BANS BOOKS
Sikh intellectual Harjinder Singh Dilgeer has been ostracised for allegedly using offensive language in his writings on amrit, ardas, Dasam Baani and Damdami Taksal. The five high priests also banned his books.
The high priests sought a clarification from the writer at the Akal Takht secretariat and directed the Sikh community to abstain from having any religious, social or political relationship with him.
