Takht Issue Resolved; Threat Mail to 'Darbar Sahib'

Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne, AT) officiating Jathedar (leader) Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj held a meeting with five Singh Sahiban (Five Loved Ones) on 14 Jul to resolve the ongoing standoff between AT and Takht Sri Patna Sahib (Throne, PT). The Singh Sahiban accepted the letter of Bihar-based PT withdrawing all previous edicts that declared Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, Jathedars of AT and Takht Damdama Sahib tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct). AT had received an email from PT that all edicts passed by it on 21 May and 5 Jul were withdrawn. In response, AT also withdrew the edicts issued against the PT management. PT management said they were dedicated to the supreme seat of Sikhs—Akal Takht, and will remain so. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has now called a special meeting of its members on 5 Aug to deliberate on the working of the five Sikh Takhts. SGPC chief secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan said the meeting will be chaired by the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami. The move is to defuse tensions between the Takhts. Meanwhile, SGPC lodged a complaint on 15 Jul that it had received an email threatening a blast in the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple). Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar confirmed receiving the complaint and said the police will crack the case and ensure security. He said, 'We are taking the help of the state cybercrime and other agencies and are hopeful that we will crack the case soon. We are taking this case very seriously. There is no need to panic.' Concurrently, on 10 Jul, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ajay Kumar Bisht alias Yogi Adityanath announced two new pilgrimage schemes Bauddha Teerth Darshan Yojana (Buddhist pilgrimage) and Panch Takht Yatra Yojana (Sikh pilgrimage). Yogi said both schemes will be implemented through an online application process to ensure transparent beneficiary selection and to prioritize economically disadvantaged applicants (earlier coverage).