Springfield, Virginia - Professor Darshan Singh Khalsa will not be apologizing to the jathedaars. The five takht jathedaars earlier this month offered to allow back into the Panth everyone that had been excommunicated, if they submit an apology to the Akal Takht. But Darshan Singh, who was excommunicated in January, today said that apologizing to the Akal Takht would be meaningless.
Updated June 22, 2010, 8:45 a.m.

Professor Darshan Singh Khalsa, former jathedaar of Akaal Takht sings shabad kirtan for the Sikh Sangat of Virginia, which meets at an elementary school for Sunday divaan. Photos: Sikh News Network

Giani Kuldeep Singh presents a plaque to Professor Darshan Singh Khalsa who is wearing the saropa given to him a few minutes earlier. Photo: Sikh News Network

“You have to understand what you are apologizing for,” he said in an interview following his kirtan in Virginia. He was summoned to the Akal Takht on Nov. 17 for his remarks about Guru Gobind Singh and Dasam Granth. He reached on Dec. 5 along with a large group of supporters but the jathedaars insisted he meet with them in a nearby secretariat building. He was given thankhaa for not appearing before them. He will not apologize because he did nothing wrong, he said.

The Sikh Sangat of Virginia invited Professor Darshan Singh to sing shabad kirtan for this morning’s divaan commemorating Guru Arjan Dev ji’s gurpurab. About 225 people attended the divaan, many unaware that he was coming. On its Web site, the announcement originally stated that a famous raagi would be coming for gurpurab. Darshan Singh’s name finally appeared early this morning and fliers quickly distributed.

“The announcement was purposely delayed to prevent his adversaries from planning any disruption of the program,” said Giani Kuldeep Singh of the sangat. “People are longing to see him, but some are afraid of miscreants causing problems.” Darshan Singh was unshaken.

“Wherever I go, I have no problems with singing Gurbani," he said in Punjabi. “It's the people who create problems and disrupt kirtan that have a problem listening to Gurbani."

Kuldeep Singh adorned him with a saropa and honored him with a large plaque on behalf of the metropolitan Washington sangats.

Darshan Singh granted an exclusive interview to SikhNN after the divaan. A few people came to speak to him after he left the divaan, and more trickled in from other gurdwaras to chat with him.

Many gurdwaras in Canada and United States continue to invite him for kirtan. The number of invitations has not decreased since the thankhaa, he said. And he has not experienced any problems or disruptions.

“At my age, as long as I am able, I will continue to go where I am invited,” he added. "I am doing more kirtan that I should be able to do at my age."

Note: Correction: Professor Darshan Singh Khalsa's quotes were modified to reflect a more accurate translation of what he said in Punjabi.

Story by Anju Kaur
Sikh News Network staff journalist
anjukaur@sikhnn.com
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