:dateline: Triggering a new controversy, Giani Iqbal Singh, on Thursday, March 20, 2014 participated in the meeting of the Five Jathedars at Sri Akal Takht Sahib for the first time after his suspension as Jathedar of Takht Sri Patna Sahib.
The committee had suspended the Takht Sri Patna Sahib Jathedar after a violent clash in Patna on January 7 over the appointment of Giani Partap Singh as additional Jathedar, But on Thursday, it claimed that they had dismissed Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh on Monday, March 17. However, the dismissal orders were disclosed to the media on Thursday.
The committee also issued a copy of his dismissal letter to the media, but it was preceded by a lot of confusion. Initially, the committee released a copy of the missive that it had shot off to the Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar on Thursday, objecting to his move to invite Giani Iqbal Singh to the meeting of Panj Singh Sahiban. In the letter, committee general secretary Charanjit Singh said, “You allowed him to participate in the meeting despite the fact that we had placed him under suspension… Takht Sri Patna Sahib will never accept decisions that are taken with the consent of Giani Iqbal Singh.”
Later, the committee rang up media persons to tell them that they had already dismissed the Jathedar. However, the copy of the letter subsequently released to the media mentioned the word “suspension,” and not “dismissal,” as claimed by the committee. The panel made the correction and then again released the letter.
The committee dismissed him after leveling serious allegations against him, also accusing him of a “long absence from Takht Patna Sahib.” The letter written to the Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar dated March 20, 2014 also used the term “suspension.”
When contacted, Giani Iqbal Singh said he was not aware about any dismissal order against him. “Whatever action has been initiated by Takht Sri Patna Sahib Management Committee is not legally valid as the panel members have already been booked on attempt of murder charges.”
Sri Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh gave a clean slate to Giani Iqbal Singh. Justifying his participation in the meeting, Giani Gurbachan Singh said Giani Iqbal Singh, as per his knowledge, was still serving as the Jathedar of Patna Sahib. He said that if anyone else had served in the same capacity, he would be invited to the meeting.
