Hardeep Singh

AMRITSAR Even after being held guilty of committing sins against Sikhs and their supreme institutions by Akal Takht Sahib and serving penance for them, Badal family and its personal political group called “Shiromani Akali Dal” (SAD-Badal) are not refraining from indulging in grave misdeeds. 

In a new low, they have again hit supremacy and dignity of Akal Takht Sahib and the other Sikh temporal seats by making malicious attempt to humiliate and insult Takht Sri Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh through the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in the name of probing the allegations levelled against him by a person who has also been introduced by them. 

This happened a day after Giani Harpreet Singh stated that he is being subjected to character assassination by the SAD leaders for his role in awarding religious punishment to party president Sukhbir Badal and its other leaders on December 2. 

On dictates of Badals who have been the acting as stooges of Indian government and deep state, the SGPC took a decision which does not come under its jurisdiction. It debarred Giani Harpreet Singh from performing his services as jathedar for 15 days and formed three-member panel to probe the baseless allegations levelled against him by the man of Badals. And the three-member panel comprise of men of Sukhbir Badal. SGPC senior vice president Raghujit Singh Virk who is guilty in the case of sins of Sukhbir, was taken as head of the panel, while second member Sher Singh Mandwala is member of his party. 

No member was taken from the dissenting members of the SGPC executive committee. Two dissenting members—Jaswant Singh Purain and Paramjit Sigh Raipur—from opposition in the executive committee lodged protest against the decision during the meeting and demanded their representation in the probe panel, but was not entertained.

 “We strongly opposed the decision during the meeting. We maintained that if you want to retire him from the service, it must be done with due respect. After all he is on an honorable post. Don’t humiliate and insult him. Lodging of complaint is not a big issue. Probe should be transparent. We asserted that we are opposition and at least one member should be taken from us, so that we could ensure that the probe is fair and justice is done. However, they turned down our demand. I don’t know why they did so”, said Purain.

Reacting to the development, Giani Harpreet Singh said that it is surprising that the group which is behind the allegations against me is the one conducting the probe. 

“The same group will also take the decision,” Giani Harpreet said, adding, “However, I am not worried about it because I am not the first jathedar who is being expelled by levelling allegations and being insulted like this. Nor am I the last one. This practice has been going on for many years.” 

He said he is anxious over the termination of my services and will take up preaching the religious values and teachings of the Guru.

“I will stand for panth, fight for it and die for it. I have already clarified the charges against me in the presence of Guru. I just wish that my relations with sangat and panth should never end,” he added.

Instead of complying the edict of Akal Takht Sahib, that ordered working committee of SAD (Badal) to remove Sukhbir Badal by accepting his resignation, they are playing such dirty tricks. Badal and company are not further damaging themselves, but they also damaging the supreme Sikh institutions. 

“The way Giani Harpreet has been a victim of character assassination and trolling is unprecedented for a Jathedar of a Takht. Akali Dal’s direct interference at Akal Takht in 2015 led to the present situation and action against Giani Harpreet Singh is a new low. It seems the “Akali” leaders have neither Akali values nor ethics. It is behaving like a gang out for revenge”, the SGPC member and grand-daughter of one of the founders of Akali Dal Master Tara Singh, Kiranjot Kaur, said.

Terming the temporary suspension of Gaini Harpreet Singh as Jathedar Takhat Damdama Sahib an act of witch-hunting, the Dal Khalsa has appealed to Akal Takht Jathedar to take over the probe associated with Giani Harpreet Singh from SGPC and disband 3-member probe panel.

Let Jathedar Akal Takhat Gaini Raghbir Singh to separate grains from the chaff, said party senior leader Kanwar Pal Singh. At least, probe by Head of highest temporal seat would keep the sanctity and prestige of the post upheld. 

Ever since, Five Singh Sahib directed Akali Dal to expel Virsa Singh Valtoha from the party and chided Akali leadership from Akal Takhat podium ( Dec 2) stating that present leadership has lost moral authority to run Akali affairs, Gaini Harpreet Singh removal was imminent, said he.

Both Sukhbir and Valtoha are highly egotistical persons and it was expected from them to target Jathedar Harpreet Singh sooner or later. He, however, said targeting one Jathedar at one time seems their strategy. 

The timing of SGPC putting 15 day bar on Gaini Harpreet Singh itself smells a design behind it, as two days are left for SAD working committee to comply with Takhat orders and accept Sukhbir’s resignation. Now all responsibility to ensure implementation of Dec 2 directives rests on Gaini Raghbir Singh’s shoulder, said he. 

“The Akalis continue to dabble in gurdwara affairs and Panthic politics despite having dropped their ‘panthic agenda’, and facing existential crisis, he said. 

Even as the disgruntled Akali leadership was hell bent to oust Gaini Harpreet Singh reasons well known in public domain, as head of the Sikh premier institution that appoints and removes Takhat Jathedar, Mr. Dhami should show large-heart and allow space to Gaini Harpreet Singh to decide his graceful exit on his own. 

Appointing 3 member panel headed by controversial person who’s only quality is that he’s protégé of Badals, to probe frivolous and flimsy charges against Gaini Harpreet Singh is an affront to Jathedars post, he observed. 

Moreover Jathedar has already rubbished the allegations levelled against him in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib and Panj Piyara’s. “SGPC should have taken Jathedars solemn statement before Guru Granth Sahib in consideration and dumped the dubious complainant, said he. 

In the recent past, the Sikhs have watched with heavy-heart how SGPC have been removing the Jathedars unceremoniously and disgracefully. “Mr Dhami, don’t repeat the mistakes your predecessors have been committing”, said Dal Khalsa leader.

The kind of stranglehold Akali politicians have over the posts of Jathedars, has not only eroded the latter’s credibility but made them subservient of political masters that needs to be altered vice-versa. 

Since last three decades, the Dal Khalsa and many more Sikh organisations have been demanding from the SGPC to frame norms and rules to codify the post of Takhat Jathedars but to no avail. Had the procedural system been in place, the community could have been saved from huge embarrassment every time such situations arise.

Though Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh did not make any public statement in this regard, he is annoyed over the action taken by the SGPC against Giani Harpreet Singh. He has reportedly conveyed his annoyance against this decision to the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami over phone. He may give his decision in a day or two if the SGPC does not revoke this decision. Besides, Giani Raghbir Singh is also watching whether the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) leadership obeyed the order to working committee to accept the resignation of president Sukhbir Singh Badal. 

Former leaders of All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) including Manjit Singh Bhoma, Bhagwan Singh, Swaran Singh Khalsa, Sarabjit Singh Sohal issued a statement issuing warning to the SGPC and SAD of facing dire consequences of this move and extended solidarity with Giani Harpreet Singh.

In a statement, the Sikh scholars under the platform of Sri Guru Singh Sabha Chandigarh said this move has hit the supremacy and dignity of Akal Takht.

“This is the most unfortunate development of our times. The SGPC has tried to defame a straightforward jathedar who has quitted himself very honourably in the recent past. This is a desperate attempt by the Punjabi party to avoid reviving and rejuvenating the Shiromani Akali Dal as desired by Akal Takht hukamnama of December 2”, said former IAS officer and Sikh political ideologue Gurtej Singh. 

He added, “The Sikh people must stand firmly behind Giani Harpreet Singh and consider him to be a victim of manipulations by politicians. The honour of the community is at stake. Giani Harpreet Singh should not be left alone to defend it”.

A big gathering of Sangat (Sikh community) at Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Muktsar Sahib on Dec 22 in support of Giani Harpreet Singh under a slogan ‘Let us stand with one who has stood with Panth’.

Prior to this, Badals and their men had run malicious campaign over social media to humiliate and harrass Giani Harpreet Singh, that hurt the Sikh sentiments across the world.