The simmering dispute between the management of Gurdwara Bhai Vir Singh in Gulmarg and a group of dissenting members has once again reached the Akal Takht, with both sides seeking an appointment with officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj to present their case.District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (DGPC) president Paramjeet Singh said he would request the officiating Jathedar to make an open appeal to the ‘sangat’ across the globe to contribute towards the renovation of the gurdwara in Gulmarg, which desperately needs restoration.The gurdwara has been at the centre of controversy in recent months. The dispute first erupted over a proposal to rename the gurdwara after the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad Dev Ji. Another contentious issue involved a donation of Rs 50 lakh that was routed through Gurinder Singh Bawa, an SGPC member based in Mumbai.Both decisions were subsequently withdrawn following the intervention of the Akal Takht. The shrine continues to be known by its original name, and nearly Rs 48 lakh of the donation amount has been returned.Paramjeet said the Jathedar would be apprised that there had been absolute transparency in gurdwara affairs, though some members were bent on defaming DGPC and destabilising the management by levelling frivolous allegations of fund misappropriation. “Consequently, the Jathedar Sahib had ordered that the donation amount be returned,” he said.Manmeet Singh, an elected DGPC member, said the Jammu and Kashmir Sikh Gurdwaras and Religious Endowment Act, 1973, which governs Sikh religious institutions in the Union Territory, lays down clear rules regarding the handling of gurdwara funds.He pointed out that Rule 61 of the rules framed under the Act mandates that donations must be deposited directly into the gurdwara’s bank account.According to him, the donation was routed through an unofficial channel.“We have no objection to receiving donations from any source. However, all contributions must be credited directly to the gurdwara’s account as required under the law, and not routed through any other account,” he said.Another member, Rajinder Singh, said, “Nobody wanted to lose the donation amount, as it was meant for the kar sewa and reconstruction of the gurdwara. The objection was only to the manner in which the funds were being routed.”He added that the members would have no objection to accepting the contribution if it was transferred directly to the gurdwara’s account and carried no conditions.“If the same donor wishes to contribute again and the amount is deposited directly into the gurdwara account without any conditions, we have no objection,” he said.