CHANDIGARH: Tensions between the Damdami Taksal and a section of Khalistani supporters have intensified after the managing committee of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, criticised Damdami Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa, alias Dhumma.
The Gurdwara committee once headed by Khalistani militant Hardeep Singh Nijjar has called for a boycott of Dhumma chief of Damdami Taksal, accusing him of aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti coalition in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections.
In a video statement, Bhupinder Singh Hothi, general secretary of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, accompanied by secretary Gurmeet Singh Toor and others, alleged that Dhumma's support for the BJP is evidence of his ties with the government, which they claim was responsible for Nijjar's death.
"In the past, Harnam Singh Khalsa alias Dhumma has been hand in glove with the government. It is now common knowledge that Dhumma had appealed to the Sikh community in Maharashtra to support the BJP in the recent assembly elections," said Hothi. He further added that Dhumma should be boycotted when he visits abroad to "collect money".
In a joint statement, Himmat Singh and Pripal Singh, leaders of the US-based Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast and the American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, echoed similar sentiments, describing Dhumma's support for the BJP as a betrayal.
On the other hand, several Taksal followers, both in India and abroad, have rallied behind their chief. The Taksal published advertisements in Punjabi newspapers warning against defamatory remarks directed at Dhumma and the Sikh seminary, including comments from certain Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders.
SAD leader Parambans Singh Bunty Romana recently criticised Dhumma's stance, saying, "Damdami Taksal Mukhi Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma extends support to BJP in Maharashtra!! Just look at the level to which BJP has penetrated Sikh institutions!! WHAT A FALL!!," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Dhumma, who is currently visiting the US, has defended his actions, stating that his appeal was aimed at addressing issues faced by the Sikh community in Maharashtra.
"Some mischievous elements have been making low-level remarks against Damdami Taksal for the past few days and misleading the community. We only wanted to flag the issues of Sikhs in Maharashtra. The Taksal has always worked for the interests of the community," he said.
Damdami Taksal, headquartered at Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash in Chowk Mehta near Amritsar, is an orthodox Sikh cultural and educational organisation.
It was founded by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, to impart teachings of Sikh scriptures (Gurbani) and martial arts.
In 1977, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale became the Taksal's fourteenth head, and the seminary emerged as a centre of militancy. Even after Bhindranwale shifted his base to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Taksal remained a hub for militants.
For decades, the Taksal has organised an annual 'Shahidi Samagam' to commemorate militants killed during Punjab's years of extremism.
Since 2005, Dhumma has been at the helm of the Taksal and has often been considered close to the SAD, a stance frequently criticised by radicals.
The tensions highlight growing divides within Sikh factions over political alignments and ideological differences, as evident from the ongoing war of words between Dhumma's supporters and his critics.
