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Bibi Jagir Kaur gives up the fight

After a month-long stand-off with the Akal Takht, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee president Bibi Jagir Kaur today decided to submit herself before the highest religious head of the community to seek pardon for her folly of challenging its authority which led to her ex-communication from the panth.

''I will appear before a recognised Panj Singh Sahibban panel at whatever date is fixed by the Singh Sahibs after a meeting,'' said a letter addressed to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Puran Singh on the personal letter head of the SGPC chief.

The letter was delivered to the jathedar at his residence this evening by Harjit Singh, personal assistant to the SGPC president.

The recognised panel, besides Giani Puran Singh, comprises the jathedars of Takht Keshgarh Sahib and Takht Damdama Sahib and the head granthis of Harmindir Sahib and Akal Takht.

Except the Akal Takht jathedar, all the other members of the SGPC-recognised ''panj piyara'' panel had rejected the January 25 hukamnama ex-communicating Bibi Jagir Kaur from the panth.

In her type-written letter, the SGPC president said: ''In the interest of the Sikh panth and for upholding the highest gurmat principles and traditions, I have taken the decision to appear before the Singh Sahibs.''

The three-paragraph letter mentioned that she wished to end the ongoing controversy.

Bibi Jagir Kaur was excommunicated from the community for having defied an earlier directive of the jathedar staying the implementation of the nanakshahi calendar.

The order was passed on January 25 at Guna (Madhya Pradesh) after Giani Puran Singh held a meeting with a panel of 'panj piyaras' constituted by him.

The jathedar's decision came in for criticism on the ground that the hukamnama was issued without taking the jathedars of Keshgarh Sahib and Damdama Sahib into confidence.

Supporters of Bibi Jagir Kaur even questioned the authority of the jathedar to issue a directive from a place other than the Akal Takht.

UNI

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