India, May 22 -- Amritsar

Amritsar: A row has erupted after the Panj Pyare (five beloved ones) of Takht Patna Sahib defied a decree issued by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism, and declared its acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj and Takht Damdama Sahib head Tek Singh Dhanaula "tankhaiya" (guilty of religious misconduct) for actions that allegedly hurt the sanctity and dignity of the Takht Patna Sahib.

The confrontation escalated on Wednesday when Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht took serious note of the Takht Patna Sahib management's non-compliance with a 2022 directive which ordered an assessment of Patna Sahib jathedar Baldev Singh's Gurbani recitation skills and the transfer of granthi Gurdial Singh.

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