Giani Ranjit Singh reinstated as Patna Sahib jathedar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 20

In a dramatic turn of events, the management of Takht Sri Harmandar Jee, Patna Sahib, has reinstated Giani Ranjit Singh ‘Gauhar- e- Maskeen’ as jathedar of the Takht.

Giani Ranjit Singh was appointed as jathedar of one of the five Sikh temporal seats in September 2019, replacing Giani Iqbal Singh.

The management of the Takht headed by Avtar Singh Hit had ordered to withdraw all services, posts and facilities provided to him as jathedar on August 28, 2022, allegedly for misappropriation of ‘daswandh’ (one-tenth of offering by devotees) that runs into crores and issuing a ‘whimsical’ edict upon a Jalandhar-based devotee.

Endorsing the charges, Panj Pyaras, including Bhai Baldev Singh, Bhai Daleep Singh, Bhai Gurdial Singh, Bhai Sukhdev Singh and Bhai Parshuram Singh, declared him ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) on September 11, 2022. Consequently, Hit terminated his services, till he comes out clean of charges. Meanwhile, Hit passed away.

Now, general secretary of the Takht management, Inderjit Singh, has issued a letter claiming that two of the Panj Pyaras-Bhai Daleep Singh and Bhai Sukhdev Singh-have given in writing that they were pressurised to sign the edict against Giani Ranjit Singh.

On the basis of this ‘confession’, Inderjit Singh has reinstated the services of Giani Ranjit Singh conveying him to continue as jathedar of the Takht. Giani Ranjit Singh said he has joined as per the communication received from the Takht management. “I have asked the Takht committee to initiate action against the person who levelled baseless allegations against me,” he said.

The Jalandhar-based resident had reportedly donated a gold-plated sword to the Takht. Later, it was alleged that the gold was embezzled from it. The donor was also held guilty of exaggerating the quantum of gold plated on the sword, which he had presented to the Takht and later going to the media while hurting the prestige of the Takht.

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