God’s will, only performed sewa: Ousted Akal Takht Jathedar

Giani Raghbir Singh — the sacked Jathedar of the Akal Takht — on Saturday termed his dismissal as the “God’s will”.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, which appoints jathedars of three Sikh Takhts in Punjab, had sacked him on Friday.

The decision stoked a controversy, with critics accusing Sukhbir Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal leaders of orchestrating the move and termed it a “blatant attack” on Sikh institutions. Giani Raghbir Singh was among the five high Sikh priests who had held Badal and other SAD leaders guilty of “religious misconduct” during the party’s decade-long rule from 2007 to 2017.

Through an edict pronounced from the Akal Takht on December 2 last year, the Sikh priests had awarded a religious punishment to Badal and forced him to quit as the party chief.

A panel was also constituted by the temporal seat to carry out a membership drive for the party, which was to be followed by its restructuring, a move that culminated into a showdown between SAD and Giani Raghbir Singh.

He has been pushing for the acceptance of the edict in entirety but the party rejected the Takht panel. Now, commenting over his dismissal, Giani Raghbir Singh told reporters that he was “content with the decision”.

“We can do sewa as long the Guru Sahib wills. I thanked Guru Arjan Sahib today. It was Guru Hargobind Sahib who took sewa from me,” he said after performing his duty as the head granthi of the Golden Temple.

New Jathedar to assume charge on March 10

The newly appointed Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gadgaj, will assume the charge following a religious ceremony at Anandpur Sahib on March 10. He has also been appointed as the acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht. SGPC secretary Partap Singh said Panthic organisations and members of the Sikh community would take part in the ceremony.