SGPC opposition members corner committee over Panthic issue

Amritsar, January 29

The opposition members in the SGPC’s executive have raised objections over not having a permanent jathedar and head granthi of the Akal Takht and the Golden Temple, respectively. They have also objected to having two ‘head granthis’ of Akal Takht.

While terming these discrepancies as against the Sikh principles, the executive members — Gurpreet Singh Randhawa, Malkit Singh, Malkit Singh Galhal and Bhupinder Singh Asandh — have submitted a letter to SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami.

They said there were three Takhts in Punjab (Akal Takht, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib and Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib), yet only two jathedars were there to head them.

Giani Harpreet Singh has also been officiating as jathedar of Akal Takht. He has been looking after the affairs of both the Takhts for long. On the other hand, there are two head granthis at the Akal Takht — Malkit Singh and Gurmukh Singh.

They urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to streamline the appointments at these coveted posts as per the Sikh traditions.

Meanwhile, they also objected to giving sole rights of telecast of Gurbani kirtan from the Golden Temple to a private channel while defying the Akal Takht directions in this regard. They urged the SGPC to work on the modalities to start its own channel which was hanging in balance for long. On another issue of disappearance of 328 saroops, they sought the SGPC to clarify its stance.