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Sikh seminary accepts Bhindranwale's death

Staff Correspondent

Taksal plans function on June 12 to commemorate `martyrdom'

CHANDIGARH: One of the most controversial Sikh seminaries, Damdami Taksal, has finally accepted that its firebrand chief, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, 14th in the lineage, died in the Army action, `Operation Bluestar,' which was carried out to liberate the Golden Temple complex from gun-toting militants holed up in the shrine.

The Taksal has accepted that its leader fell on June 6, 1984, and has decided to organise a function at its headquarters at Chowk Mehta in Amritsar district, for the first time, on June 12, to observe the anniversary of Sant Bhindranwale's "martyrdom."

The announcement was made by the Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, who was elevated to the position of the 15th chief of the Taksal at a ceremony where various other leaders bestowed on him the ceremonial `dastars' (turbans). Like Baba Thakur Singh, who managed the affairs of the Taksal till he died last year, Baba Dhumma was an acting chief so far.

Baba Thakur Singh had always maintained that Sant Bhindranwale was alive and would return to take charge. He was opposed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), splinter Akali factions and radical Sikh organisations which had declared Sant Bhindranwale as a martyr almost three years ago.

It was noteworthy that while Sant Bhindranwale's widow, Pritam Kaur and son Inderjit Singh were present at the elevation ceremony of Baba Dhumma, many crucial functionaries of the Taksal, who have for the last 21 years opposed the move to accept Sant Bhindranwale's death, stayed away. Bibi Pritam Kaur and Inderjit Singh are reported to have refused to accept that Sant Bhindranwale had died. The former Jathedar of Akal Takht, Bhai Jasbir Singh Rhode, who is also from Sant Bhindranwale's family, has preferred to avoid any confrontation on the development.

Interestingly, the SGPC, the present Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti and various other Sikhs organisations have recognised Bhai Ram Singh as chief of the parallel set-up in the Taksal, which came up immediately after the death of Baba Thakur Singh. Bhai Ram Singh had already declared that Sant Bhindranwale had "achieved martyrdom" in 1984.

Vital development

The development is viewed as vital since the leader of the conservative section of the Taksal, Baba Dhumma, has accepted that death of Sant Bhindranwale.

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Sikh seminary accepts Bhindranwale's death

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