Giani Harpreet Singh paid price for being 'outspoken'

Gs Paul

Amritsar, June 16

The way the Jathedars have been sacked in the past shows that the Takht heads are mere pawns in the hands of the SGPC.

The ones who displease the committee and SAD get the marching orders just as it appeared to be in the case of Giani Harpreet Singh, though the SGPC claimed that he had quit the charge of Akal Takht and would continue as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo.

Appointed as acting Jathedar of Akal Takht on October 22, 2018, Giani Harpreet Singh was known for his ‘superfluous views’ on the Panthic issues.

He was bold enough to question SAD even during his public address. It is believed that he had to pay the price for his ‘advice’ to the Akali Dal to shun its political aspirations and instead revert to the Panthic agenda.

His claim that SAD originally was a party of farmers and ‘mazdoors’ (labourers) and not of ‘sarmaaedaars’ (capitalists) and that the existing SAD leadership had deviated from the original path that led to its debacle had left SAD in a piquant situation.

This was coupled with his soft stance towards the self-styled pro-Khalistan activist Amritpal Singh’s move to make Sri Guru Granth Sahib saroop as a ‘shield’ in the Ajnala incident.

Lately, his unexpected attendance at the pre-wedding event of AAP MP Raghav Chadha and Bollywood actor Parineeti Chopra in New Delhi had prompted SAD spokesperson Virsa Singh Valtoha to say that he had breached the code of conduct by attending a private function that was not conducive to the Sikh ‘rehat maryada’.

All these events appeared to have pushed the SGPC to remove him from the charge of Akal Takht.

Giani Harpreet Singh was not the only one who was shown the door for being outspoken, there were others who were sacked in the past.

It is learnt that some executive members of the SGPC Gurpreet Singh Randhawa and Malkit Singh Changal raised objections over the dictatorial approach of the SGPC in removing the Jathedars. Changal said he had submitted his dissent note with the SGPC over the removal of Giani Harpreet Singh.

No set norms

• The way Jathedars of three of the five TakhtsAkal Takht, Takht Damdama Sahib and Takht Kesgarh Sahibare appointed and sacked has often come in for criticism from panthic circles
• The other two TakhtsPatna Sahib and Hazoor Sahib at Nandedhave their separate management committees that appoint Jathedars
• Ironically, there are no set norms for defining the terms of appointment, removal, jurisdiction, scope of rights and service span of Jathedars framed by the SGPC yet

Takht Heads removed unceremoniously

• April 2017: Giani Gurmukh Singh was removed as Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar after he spoke against the alleged political interference in Panthic decisions, especially pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda head
• January 2015: Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh sacked as Jathedar, Takht Damdama Sahib, for supporting the original Nanakshahi calendar
• August 2008: Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti was removed from the post of Jathedar, Akal Takht, after he refused to be lenient on the Dera Sacha Sauda case
• March 2000: Giani Puran Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht, was sacked after he excommunicated then SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur
• February 1999: Bhai Ranjit Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht, was shown the door for supporting then SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra having differences with Parkash Singh Badal
• March 1990: Acting Akal Takht Jathedar Darshan Singh Ragi had to submit resignation after argument at the General House meeting with the then SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra