Giani Harpreet sacked as Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar by SGPC

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) today sacked Giani Harpreet Singh as Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib after a probe panel found him guilty of misconduct following a complaint against him.

The SGPC’s executive body took the decision at a meeting chaired by president Harjinder Singh Dhami. The SGPC chief, however, refrained from talking to the media and left soon after.

SGPC secretary Partap Singh said on the basis of the complaint, Giani Harpreet Singh had been expelled as Jathedar of the Takht at Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda. Giani Jagtar Singh, head granthi of the Takht, will hold the charge for now. “The inquiry report submitted by the SGPC panel held Giani Harpreet Singh guilty of the allegations levelled against him. The report was accepted by a majority of the executive members and the decision to remove him was taken to preserve the sanctity of the Takht,” he said.

On December 16, Sri Muktsar Sahib resident Gurpreet Singh had lodged a complaint with the SGPC chief alleging he was married to Giani Harpreet’s sister-in-law and that the Jathedar interfered in his married life, leading to their separation.

The SGPC, at an executive body meeting on December 19, had formed a three-member panel, comprising senior vice-president Raghujit Singh Virk, general secretary Sher Singh Mandwala and executive member Daljit Singh Bhinder, to probe the allegations.

Three ‘opposition’ members — Paramjit Singh Raipur, Jaswant Singh Purain and Amrik Singh — walked out of today’s meeting to lodge their protest against the decision. They claimed that the executive body members weren’t “officially” given any prior information about the agenda.

Raipur said since a majority of the executive body members belonged to the Shiromani Akali Dal, the decision was “politically” motivated. “We believe that the December 2 directives of the five high priests, including Giani Hapreet Singh, of ‘tankhah (religious punishment)’ had not gone down well with the Akali leadership. The agenda that we had received online didn’t have any mention of Giani Harpreet Singh,” claimed Raipur. “The report was just read out at the meeting. The committee endorsed the serious allegations against Giani Hapreet Singh, which appeared to be one-sided,” said Raipur.

The SGPC had appointed Giani Harpreet Singh as Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib in April, 2017. He had also served as acting Jathedar of Akal Takht from October 22, 2018, to June 16, 2023.

Giani Harpreet Singh had stepped down as acting Jathedar amid controversy over attending the engagement of MP Raghav Chadha and actor Parineeti Chopra.