Giani Harpreet joins a long list of Jathedars shown the door for taking on Akalis, SGPC

Giani Hapreet Singh, who was dismissed as Takth Damdama Sahib Jathedar, is not the only to be removed unceremoniously for going “against the wind”.

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The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which appoints Takht Jathedars, has on several occasion issued marching order to those who displease the Sikh body or the SAD leadership that dominates the former.

Giani Harpreet Singh was removed after the SGPC probe panel declared him culpable in an old domestic dispute.

Ironically, he had alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched by the “messengers of Badals”, at the behest of the SAD and the SGPC to make ground for his “permanent ouster” from the services of the Takht.

He was among the five high priests, led by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, who pronounced “tankhah” (religious punishment) to the “guilty” leadership of the SAD on December 2. He was also on the panel of five high priests that expelled a SAD leader who had alleged that he (Giani Harpreet Singh) owed allegiance to the BJP and RSS.

Earlier, he had offered his resignation to SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami following a tiff with an “expelled” SAD leader, but that was not accepted.

That was followed by a complaint against him by a resident of Muktsar over an 18-year-old family dispute. The SGPC had suspended his services temporarily and constituted a three-member panel that conducted the probe.

Graduated from Guru Kashi Gurmat Institute, Giani Harpreet Singh joined the SGPC as a preacher in 1997. He was appointed the head granthi of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Muktsar in 1999. He completed his Master’s in religious studies from Panjab University. He also did PhD in comparative study of the teachings of the Quran and Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

In April 2017, the SGPC appointed him Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, replacing Giani Gurmukh Singh, who had issued statements against the SGPC alleging the SAD leadership dictated terms to the five high priests for granting “pardon” to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in October 2015 that was later revoked.

In October 2018, Giani Harpreet Singh was named the acting Jathedar of Akal Takht as well, a position from which he resigned in June 2023, following a controversy over his attendance at the engagement of AAP leader Raghav Chadha with actor Parineeti Chopra.