Mann slams Taksal, retreats

‘‘When I ask you ‘What do Sikhs want?’, raise your hands and say freedom,’’ Mann said.

Earlier, he claimed that there were elements in the Taksal who misguided former acting head of the seminary, late Baba Thakur Singh, and arranged meetings between him and former Punjab DGP K P S Gill and writer Khushwant Singh.

He asked Harnam Singh Khalsa, anointed the 15th head of the Taksal, to be vigilant. ‘‘You should take full control of all the bodies being run by the Taksal,’’ he said.

An agitated Bhai Mokham Singh, chief spokesperson of the Taksal, then stood up to launch an attack on Mann. The Taksal, he said, knew how to manage its affairs and Mann had no business to give political colour to a religious ceremony. Tempers rising, Mann slipped away even as Mokham urged him to stay and listen to his rebuttal.

Later, the Taksal declared Bhindranwale ‘‘the greatest Sikh fighter of the 20th century.’’

‘‘The only tribute to him would be to follow in his footsteps,’’ said Mokham, without elaborating.

Bhindranwale’s widow Bibi Pritam Kaur and son Ishar Singh were felicitated on the occasion.

‘I got them weapons’

Addressing the gathering, Mann claimed he helped Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s men get arms licences while he was police chief of Faridkot. ‘‘I helped the Sant many times as I knew that Sikhs worship arms and they should get these in maximum number.’’ Mann said he was writing a book on Bhindranwale in which he would ‘‘expose bigwigs’’ who had sought favours from Bhindranwale. —ENS