Mixed response to SGPC stand

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 1

The SGPC’s decision that its president Kirpal Singh Badungar will not appear before a government-appointed commission probing sacrilege cases has evoked a mixed response.

United Akali Dal (UAD) president Bhai Mohkam Singh said the SGPC move would help those involved in desecration go scot-free. He said the stand proved that the then SAD-BJP government had allegedly played a role in such incidents.

He said most of the desecration cases had occurred in 2015 and 2016 and the Akali government had remained in power for nearly a year and a half since then. He also accused the the government of implicating those Sikhs in false cases who had been searching for culprits.

Former SGPC secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta said the Akal Takht Jathedar never appeared before any court or commission. However, the Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) Commission had summoned only the SGPC president and sought record of the Akal Takht. He said the SGPC was constituted after the promulgation of an Act and its president could appear in a court, adding that its former presidents had done so in the past.

Meanwhile, Jathedars of three Takhts, including Akal Takht, and other Sikh religious institutions, endorsed the SGPC’s decision.

Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said the Akal Takht was the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs and an independent institute whose record could not be shared.

Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, Damdami Taksal head Giani Harnam Singh Dhumma, Nihang organisations head Baba Balbir Singh, too, supported the SGPC’s decision.

Dhumma accused the Congress government of hatching a conspiracy to interfere in the affairs of the Sikh community.

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) backed the SGPC’s decision to reject the commission. “This (setting up the commission) is a conspiracy hatched by the Congress to weaken top Sikh institutions. We warn the commission to desist from interfering in the affairs of these institutions,” the DSGMC said.