as a previous leader, Kartar Singh Khalsa, had been a severe critic of the excesses of Indira Gandhi’s Emergency rule. In 1975, a large event to commemorate the 300th anniversary martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur was attended by Indira Gandhi and Kartar Singh Khalsa. This was the starting point of tensions between Damdami Taksal and the Central Government under Congress. The dispute was about who was the leader and who had the greater authority over the Sikh people, the Guru Granth Sahib or Indira Gandhi. The Damdami Taksal was first brought to wider national attention by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale during the 1978 Sikh–Nirankari clashes, the Anandpur Resolution, the Dharam Yudh Morcha of 1982, and later the Khalistan movement and insurgency. Jathedars of Damdami Taksal Leadership During British Colonial rule, Sunder Singh Bhindranwala set about purging diversity in Sikh doctrine, ritual and practice, hoping to have a uniform Sikh community. Part of this strategy was to have a Rehat Maryada i.e. standardised code of conduct . Sunder Singh was succeeded by Gurbachan Singh Khalsa in 1930, after whom Kartar Singh Bhindranwala continued his work in 1961. Kartar Singh established Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash at Mehta, Amritsar. In 1977, after the death of Kartar Singh, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala became the head of Damdami Taksal. Thakur Singh Bhindranwala took over his Taksal when Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala was killed in 1984 by the military on Harmander Sahib, referred to as Operation Bluestar. After the death of Thakur Singh, the leadership of Taksal was handed over to Ram Singh Khalsa by SGPC in January 2005. though the senior leadership and members of Taksal accepted Harnam Singh Khalsa as the successor. In July 2017, Taksal chief Harnam Singh Khalsa was hailed as the successor to Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala by the SGPC. Beliefs The Damdami Taksal have their own Sikh Code of Conduct, the Gurmat Rehat Maryada, which differs from the Rehat Maryada published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. Some differences include the reading of Ragmala after Akhand Path and not eating meat, fish, and eggs. Damdami Taksal is somewhat influenced by the Nirmala school of thought as the eleventh leader of Damdami Taksal, Bishan Singh Muralewale, studied under Nirmala Sants such as Pundit Tara Singh and Pundit Sadhu Singh during the late 19th century. See also Khalsa Nirmala Notes References Further reading Giani Jaswant singh Manji Sahib Book ~ Chita Chola External links Damdami Taksal –