Talwandi Sabo: Takht Damdama Sahib Jatehdar Giani Balwant Singh Nanadgarh has favored summoning of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader and former Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu to Akal Takht Sahib in wake of Navjot Sidhu’s grave misconduct of distorting ‘Gurbani’.
Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh said that the plea that Navjot Sidhu was a ‘patit’ (one who violates the religious tenants of Sikhi) and could not be summoned at Akal Takht Sahib does not hold much water. If Navjot Sidhu declares himself to be a Sikh he must be summoned to the Akal Takht for committing disrespect to ‘Shabad Guru’.
Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib also added that even if Navjot Sidhu declares himself to be a Hindu, even then he can not be allowed to distort the ‘Gurbani’.
He said that Navjot Sidhu must be held responsible to uphold the supremacy of ‘Gurbani’ and authority of Akal Takht.
Navjot Sidhu is considered to be a Hindutva propagandist with ‘Sikh turban’. He is known for holding Hindutva ‘karam-kaand’ (‘Hawan’) in his house. Recently during a function by Hindutva fountainhead Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) in Ludhiana Navjot Sidhu allocated a Gurbani Shabad by fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjun Ji to Hindu mythological character Pandav Arjun.
Navjot Sidhu’s status of being a ‘patit’ has triggered a debate with in the Sikh circles. A section of Sikhs is of the view that Navjot Sidhu could not be summoned to Akal Takht as he does not follow the Sikh mandate; while others are of the view that the Akal Takht has the authority to hold him responsible for committing disrespect to the Gurbani.