Fight Breaks Out at Gurdwara Guru Nanak Parkash in Coventry, UK

Posted: 22 Jan 2017 04:59 PM PST
COVENTRY, UK—Earlier today, a scuffle broke out at Gurdwara Guru Nanak Parkash Coventry after the stage secretary, Malkit Singh Bal, questioned the UK Damdami Taksal for putting the Sahibzaade and its own Jathedars in parallel.
“I do not wish to speak [on this matter], however I have to bring it up.  I wish to know why [the UK Damdami Taksal] puts Baba Thakur Singh at the same level as the Sahibzaadas of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.  One is the family of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Guru who gave up everything for the Panth.  They are putting Baba Thakur Singh in parallel to them.”

Secretary Bal was speaking about a recent program held at Gurdwara Gur Nanak Parkash in Coventry to commemorate the passing away of Baba Thakur Singh Ji, the 14th jathedar of the Damdami Taksal.  Bal mentioned that “the program was being organized to remember Baba Thakur Singh Ji, however, it had no mention of the Shaheed Sahibzaade.”  On the contrary, the poster, as well as the posts on Facebook mention the program as “Sahibzaade Shaheedi Smagam & Barsi Baba Thakur Singh 2016 UK”.
However, following this, Bal questioned, “What has Baba Thakur Singh Ji done for the Panth?  For 20 years, he continued to mislead the Sangat.”  Bal was referring to Baba Thakur Singh Ji’s claim that Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale never achieved martyrdom in 1984.  This is why Baba Thakur Singh remained as the “acting-Jathedar” in absence of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji.
Bal’s comments irked some of the youth who were present at the Gurdwara.  They went to the front podium and tried to stop the secretary from speaking.  Soon after, the whole situation turned tense and police was called into the Gurdwara.  Several cops entered the Gurdwara with bare heads and shoes to escort the stage secretary out.
Following the incident, UK Sikhs have been asked to refrain from indulging in controversial matters.  Extremism and hatred is on the all time high within Sikhs across UK and internationally.  Very recently, the Jago Wale Jatha and UK based supporters of Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma held a program in Birmingham where they passed a resolution that anyone who questions the Damdami Taksal would have to face severe consequences.  Jago Wale Jatha have been banned by several Gurdwaras across Europe for radicalizing Sikh youth.
Mandeep Singh, a Gursikh from UK posted on Facebook, “This should’ve been dealt with more maturely. Should’ve just taken the mic off him and asked him to go to the side. The biggest beadbi was the police coming in with no head covering and shoes on into Darbar Sahib! Plus all the image of Singhs being tarnished with yet another fight going on in front of aam sangat with children present.  The man could’ve been dealt with afterwards. Just remove the mic that was all that needed to be done.”
In response to the view posted by Harsimran Jit Singh, one of the youth who stood up to quiet the stage secretary, Ranjit Seehra, said, “Sounded like a rhetorical question unless there was mischievous thoughts in the air already. Sad sad situation when this happens.