On 18 Nov, two days before the Maharashtra elections, the Sikh Samaj (society) Maharashtra, a little known outfit, extended support to the BJP-led alliance. Harnam Singh Dhumma, the head of the Damdami Taksal – the Sikh seminary once headed by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale – announced their support. The taksal is a three centuries old Sikh seminary currently headquartered at Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash at Chowk Mehta, 40 km from Amritsar (SDW Vol 2, Issue 32, Story 1). The taksal’s move to support the BJP in Maharashtra invited criticism from SAD leader Arshdeep Singh Kler, who termed Dhumma’s support for the BJP as ‘shocking,’ and said, ‘it was another sign of the BJP penetrating Sikh institutions.’ BJP spokesperson Sarchand Singh welcomed the support saying, ‘The Sikh bodies tasked with working for the Sikh religion and carrying forward its traditions or becoming its representative voice have failed. The Akalis, for instance, have not been able to stand up for the Sikh community adequately. It defies logic that the Akalis have an objection to the taksal supporting the BJP while, as a political party, the Akalis have been supporting the BJP for years.’ The taksal and SAD have had differences since Parkash Singh Badal’s second term as CM of Panjab. Starting after the Nirankari-Sikh clash of 13 Apr 1978 in Amritsar, where 13 Sikhs were killed. During the 2011 Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee elections, SAD and the Taksal came together. The Sikh population in Maharashtra is 0.2%, and holds little to no influence in the elections.
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