CHANDIGARH: Two years after a bloody war erupted between the Damdami Taksal and Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, the Amritsar-based Sikh seminary has again issued “death threats” to the preacher. A brand new edition of word-war rose between the two after the chief spokesperson of the Taksal, Charanjit Singh Jassowal, issued death threats to “Sikh preacher” during a meeting held at the Taksal headquarters at Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash, Chowk Mehta, near Amritsar, on May 20.
A meeting was called to discuss the events to be undertaken by the Taksal to observe the anniversary of Operation Bluestar on June 6. Jassowal advocated the murder of Sikh parcharaks in the presence of seminary head Harnam Singh Dhumma and other religious leaders. He more specifically directed his threats towards Dhadrianwale. Meanwhile, the Taksal dissociated its head from Jassowal's statement, claiming that the seminary head had not approved it. However, a video of the event went viral on social media, following which, Dhadrianwale too posted a 30 minute video calling the threats as religious “gundagardi”.
He questioned the silence of the Akal Takht on two-year old case where Taksal members had led an attack on his cavalcade near Ludhiana, killing one of his aides. Dhadrianwale also explained that the religious discourses were based on facts, as written in “Gurbani”. The Punjab government later responded to the issue, with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh asking the police to increase the security of the preacher, while issuing a “stern warning” to Damdami Taksal. The Taksal however held a meeting after, and “warned” the CM “degrading the prestige of the Taksal”. Spokesperson Sarchand Singh said the tone and tenor of the statement issued by the CM is “in favour of those who preach against the principles of Gurmat”. He added that the Taksal was against Sikh preachers who claim to propagate the religion, but were actually against the laid down tenets of the religion.
