Giani Gargaj meets parallel Jathedar Dhyan Singh Mand, says no place for factionalism in Panth

Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj on Monday met Dhyan Singh Mand, who was appointed the acting head of the temporal seat in 2015 by the Sarbat Khalsa — a congregation of several Sikh organisations.

“We all are dedicated to the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and the Akal Takht is the common centre for all Sikhs. There can be no factions in the Khalsa Panth,” Giani Gargaj said after the meeting in Ferozepur.

Giani Gargaj said he had gone to enquire about Mand, who “was not keeping well” for quite some time. “I went to know about his well-being. I also share a long association with him. His family’s contribution and sacrifice for the sake of the Sikh community could not be ignored,” he said.

Giani Gargaj’s move was appreciated on social media too when he posted his picture with Mand.

Mand was declared the acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht due to the imprisonment of Sarbat Khalsa-appointed Jathedar Jagtar Singh Hawara, a key member of the Khalistani militant organisation Babbar Khalsa.

Hawara was appointed the temporal head in defiance of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex Sikh body that has the power to appoint and remove heads of Punjab-based temporal seats — Akal Takht, Damdama Sahib and Kesgarh Sahib.

Several radical Sikh bodies, including Damdami Taksal, had opposed Giani Gargaj’s appointment as the officiating Jathedar of the Akal Takht after the sacking of Giani Raghbir Singh earlier this year.       

The unexpected meeting was seen as an attempt to foster unity within the Sikh Panth by approaching disgruntled community leaders.

This has come days after the Patna Sahib “panj pyaras” declared Giani Gargaj and Damdama Sahib Jathedar Baba Tek Singh as “tankhaiya’ for “denting the dignity of the Takht Patna Sahib”.

This was done defying a decree of the Akal Takht — the highest temporal seat for the Sikhs.

It was for the first time since November 2015, when the SGPC-appointed Jathedar initiated a step to meet the Sarbat Khalsa-backed temporal head.

Since 2015, Jathedars of both sides had been delivering separate messages on special occasions like Diwali, leading to confusion among the Sikh community.

Amritsar