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Damadami Taksal Opposes Kirtan By Women at Darbar Sahib

By STAFF

The Tribune, Amritsar, Aug. 18, 2005


Photo: Mejindarpal Kaur and Lakhbir Kaur, prevented from performing sukhasan seva at Darbar Sahib, Feb. 15, 2003

The Damdami Taksal, yesterday outrightly rejected the proposal for allowing the baptised women to perform kirtan [hymn singing] inside the Harmandir Sahib, the sanctum sanctorum of Golden Temple.

The Damdami Taksal's resolve to oppose this move was also supported by the Sant Samaj, a conglomerate of Sikh preachers headed by Baba Sarbjot Singh Bedi, at a function here on the occasion of the death anniversary of Sant Kartar Singh Bhindranwale.

It may be recalled that the S.G.P.C. had last week taken the decision to allow women to perform kirtan inside the Harmandir Sahib. The decision had been taken at a meeting of the S.G.P.C.'s Religious Advisory Board.

It was observed at the board's meeting that the Akal Takht would have a final verdict on the proposal of allowing amrit-dhari (baptised) Sikh women to perform kirtan inside the Harmandir Sahib.

At yesterday's convention at the Damdami Taksal headquarters at Chowk Mehta near here, four granthis of the S.G.P.C., Jaswant Singh, Mal Singh, Jatinder Singh and Jagtar Singh, also gave their support to the Damdami Taksal's viewpoint against women's performance of kirtan in the Harmandir Sahib.

The Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, is scheduled to summon a meeting of the Singh Sahibs and after detailed discussions the final decision on the kirtan would be pronounced which would be binding on the Sikh community.

The Dharam Prachar Committee, while taking the decision, had announced that baptised Sikh women who fulfilled a set 'code of conduct' could approach the S.G.P.C. authorities to perform kirtan sewa [hymn singing service] at the Harmandir Sahib.