Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is stepping in to broker peace in the ongoing slanging match between Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhumma and the Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale on Tuesday.

The executive committee of the SGPC, known as Sikh’s mini parliament, will hold its meeting on May 31 to discuss the ways and means to resolve the ongoing war of words between Dhumma and Dhadrianwale.

“The special meeting has been convened of the executive to discuss the current state of religious affairs in Punjab and ways to resolve the same,” a senior SGPC official told The Pioneer.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has only recently asked the SGPC to resolve the issue between the two religious leaders at the earliest.

Already suffered a dent in its panthic image following a series of incidents of ‘desecration’ of Guru Granth Sahib, Sarbat Khalsa convention, and pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief, the SAD does not want cropping up of another similar issue, especially in an election year.

Punjab is all set to go for polls in early next year.

It has been learnt that the SGPC is mulling over constituting a committee of “neutral” panthic leaders or personalities to resolve the dispute between the two religious leaders. “The committee, thus constituted, would made efforts to establish a contact between the two groups to end the issue between them,” said the SGPC official.

One of the SGPC members, requesting anonymity, maintained that the two groups “have been targeting each other via media causing tension among the community which is an issue of concern”.

“There is dire need to check the situation well before it blow out of proportion…the SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar is concerned over the situation and that is why he has convened this special meeting,” said the SGPC member.

Dhumma has already indicated that he was ready to bury the hatchet with Dhadrianwale on the condition that the Sikh preacher issue a public apology “for his words denigrating the head of centuries-old Sikh religious institution Damdami Taksal”.

The war of words between Dhumma and Dhadrianwale has put the SAD-led Punjab government in an uncomfortable spot with both of them criticising the government for playing a ‘partisan role’.

Patiala-based preacher Dhadrianwale, on May 17, escaped a murderous attack on his, in which one of his followers was killed.

While Dhadrianwale had alleged that the Damdami Taksal is behind the attack, Dhumma alleged that the Sikh preacher himself staged the attack.

Earlier, the Akal Takht, Sikhs’ highest temporal seat, had offered to resolve the issue amicably — which the

two groups refused to

abide by.