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This is an archive article published on July 3, 2006

SGPC chief roughed up at Takht function

Celebrations to mark the 400th year of the Akal Takht here today were marred by a free-for-all between workers of two factions of the Shiromani Akali Dal...

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Celebrations to mark the 400th year of the Akal Takht here today were marred by a free-for-all between workers of two factions of the Shiromani Akali Dal, SAD (Badal) and SAD (Amritsar) following which the five Sikh high priests ordered the boycott of SAD (Amritsar) chief Simranjeet Singh Mann and five others from religious functions.

The scuffle broke out at Manji Sahib inside the Golden Temple Complex where a religious function was on to mark the end of the three-day celebrations. SGPC chief Jathedar Avtar Singh Makkar was manhandled.

Trouble began when Mann was not allowed to address the function. He sent two of his men, Harcharan Singh and Nirmal Singh, both SGPC members, to ask for time to speak but SGPC general secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur refused. Even Jathedar Makkar was seen gesturing that no time be allowed to Mann, which provoked Mann’s men to climb up the stage protected by the SGPC task force and grab the mike.

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Various Sikh personalities, including head of the Damdami Taksal and Nihang organisations, remained mute spectators as the groups clashed in front of the Guru Granth Sahib.

SAD (B) chief Parkash Singh Badal blamed Mann for creating the ruckus and said the Akal Takht should take serious note of the ‘‘scene created by Mann’’. Accusing Mann of showing disrespect to the Guru Granth Sahib, he said: ‘‘It’s most shameful that the SGPC chief’s turban was taken off at such a holy function.’’

Mann said they had been duly invited to the function. ‘‘This has become a function of Badal and not that of SGPC or Akal Takht…It is Badal and Makkar who should be excommunicated,’’ Mann said.

The orders calling for his boycott, Mann said, were one-sided and that he and his five party workers were not given a hearing. ‘‘We will call a meeting of all panthic organisations in a day or two to decide the course of action,’’ he said.

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