AMRITSAR: The officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, has summoned Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to appear at its secretariat on Jan 15 over alleged “anti-Sikh remarks”, “objectionable conduct”, and a recently surfaced video that the Takht says deeply hurt Sikh sentiments.Mann posted on “Any command from Sri Akal Takht Sahib Ji is accepted with full reverence and will be obeyed. I will walk barefoot before Sri Akal Takht Sahib,” he said.Mann said though the President is visiting Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar on Jan 15, he would still obey the Takht summons. “For me, Sri Akal Takht Sahib Ji is above everything. The command received from the sacred Takht is, was, and will always be supreme to me and my family,” he said. Jathedar Gargajj said the CM, despite holding a high constitutional office, repeatedly made statements that challenged “Sikh Rehat Maryada (code of religious conduct)”, supremacy of Akal Takht, and sanctity of Guru Ki Golak. “These comments reflect an arrogance of power and an anti-Sikh mindset,” Gargajj alleged.Clarifying why the CM was not summoned to appear at the facade (Fasil) of Akal Takht, the jathedar said that Bhagwant Mann is a “patit (apostate)” and, according to Sikh tradition, cannot be summoned to appear at Fasil. “Therefore, he was summoned to personally appear at the secretariat of Akal Takht at 10am on Jan 15 to submit his explanation,” Gargajj said.Jathedar Gargajj said a controversial video that had recently surfaced would be subjected to forensic examination and, if found authentic, strict Panthic action would follow.Mann got support from rather unexpected quarters. BJP criticized the Akal Takht summons, with party Punjab spokesperson Sarchand Singh calling it a “well-orchestrated exercise” to shield senior Shiromani Akali Dal leaders and those who are facing arrest over the 328 missing sacred saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Invoking “religious defiance” was a tactic to exert pressure on the CM and obstruct the SIT investigation, he said. He said there is no Panthic tradition of summoning a ‘patit’ Sikh even at the Akal Takht secretariat.
