Security stepped up in Punjab ahead of Sarbat Khalsa on Nov 10

Chandigarh, Nov 9: Security has been stepped in parts of Punjab, in view of the controversial 'Sarbat Khalsa' (congregation of Sikhs) to be held at Amritsar on Tuesday, amid a divided opinion among hardliners and various Sikh organisations over holding of such an event.

Gurmat Sidhant Pracharak Sant Samaj, a conglomerate of various Sikh religious bodies, had maintained that holding of 'Sarbat Khalsa' must be kept away from any controversies.

Giving a call to the Sikh community to maintain supremacy of Akal Takht, the Sant Samaj chief Harnam Singh Khalsa said that "we are in favour of 'Sarbat Khalsa', but the center of holding the event should be Akal Takht."

He said that Damdami Taksal has an optimistic view to participate in the proposed congregation under the name of 'Sarbat Khalsa' slated for November 10 if the venue is Akal Takht. Presently there were various controversies going on in the Sikh community and the proposed congregation under the name of 'Sarbat Khalsa' will further deepen the issues, said Khalsa, who is also the President of Damdami Taksal.

"The proposed gathering (on November 10) will undermine the tradition of calling 'Sarbat Khalsa'," he said. He claimed that anti-Sikh elements were "hatching conspiracies" to harm Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs and the constitutional organisation of SGPC.

However, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD-Amritsar) President Simranjit Singh Mann along with other like-minded Sikh hardliner outfits have asserted that during the 'Sarbat Khalsa' the Jathedars of three Takhts — Gurbachan Singh (Akal Takht), Mal Singh (Kesgarh Sahib) and Gurmukh Singh (Damdama Sahib) would be removed.

Sikh hardliners have planned to hold the congregation in Amritsar, for which land has been taken on rent on the Amritsar-Tarn Taran road at Gurdwara Baba Naudh Singh after they were refused by the SGPC to hold the event in the Golden Temple.

PTI