The Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee’s (SGPC) decision to initiate an inquiry against suspended Takht Damdama Sahib’s jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh may have put Akal Takht’s jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh in a tight spot.
Gani Harpreet Singh’s services were suspended on Thursday, a day after he alleged that some Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders were trying to assassinate him to divert attention from the Akal Takht’s decision to reorganize the SAD. He had refused to attend any meeting of the five Sikh Jathedars which he said would have relaxed the instructions issued on December 2 as part of the religious punishment meted out to the SAD leaders.
The SGPC has constituted a panel to probe the allegations against Giani Harpreet Singh.
While announcing religious punishment for SAD leader Sukhbir Badal and others, Gnani Raghbir Singh said, “The leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal has lost its moral right to lead the Sikh panth politically due to its actions. Therefore Panch Singh Sahiban has entrusted a committee with the responsibility of initiating the reorganization of the Shiromani Akali Dal.” have made… a new representative should be appointed and the election of the president and other officials should be held within 6 months.
SAD (B) is yet to act on the instructions. Now all eyes will be on Gyani Raghbir Singh to see if he will give any delay in the instructions, especially Gyani Harpreet Singh has raised doubts about it.
Akal Takht Jathedar Raghbir Singh had earlier ordered the SAD(B) to expel its spokesperson and former MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha from the party for making “false allegations” against Sikh Jathedars that he was “working under BJP pressure”.
Besides, Giani Raghbir Singh knows that former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh faced the wrath of the Sikh community when he issued a pardon in 2015 to Dera Sirsa chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the 2007 blasphemy case. With this in mind, Giani Raghbir Singh is under pressure to be morally upright rather than honoring his personal relationship with Giani Harpreet Singh.
It is also a fact that both the Jathadars were appointed to their respective posts due to lack of formal criteria.
On March 29, 2000, the then Akal Takht Jathedar Gnani Joginder Singh Vedanti directed the SGPC to establish a procedure for the appointment of Takht Jathedars. During his tenure, Gyani Harpreet Singh sent two reminders to the SGPC to follow Vedanti’s instructions. Critics have alleged that the SGPC appoints Jathadars on the basis of connections rather than credibility or merit.
The rise of Jnani Harpreet Singh
Gani Harpreet Singh was a relatively unknown figure when he was appointed Sahib Jathedar at Takht Damad in 2018. No one was willing to take up the post because of the controversy arising out of the amnesty granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
Giani Harpreet Singh, who hails from Sukhbir Badal’s home district of Muktsar, was not only made Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, but was also given the acting charge of Sri Akal Takht Sahib after Giani Gurbachan Singh resigned.
On the SGPC foundation day in 2020, Giani Harpreet Singh was criticized for allegedly favoring the SAD (B) over other sectarian organisations.
However, the SAD (B) leadership is said to have viewed his meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah at the Shri Akal Takht Sahib Secretariat in 2022 as a red flag. Last year, SAD(B) leaders accused him of being soft on the leadership of the Delhi Gurdwara Pradwara Managment Samiti, which is close to the BJP.
SGPC appointed Gani Raghbir Singh to his post in June 2023. But after the December 2 ritual punishment, the Akalis have reportedly targeted only Gani Harpreet Singh.
Meanwhile, Raghvir Singh will have a challenge to keep his slate clean in the final phase of his service as Darbar Sahib’s chief grandhi.
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