Raghubir Singh new Akal Takht Jathedar

GS Paul

Amritsar, June 16

In a dramatic turn of events, officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Harpreet Singh has been relieved of his charge. The SGPC, the appointing authority, claimed that he had volunteered to quit after serving for four and a half years.

Hails from Amritsar

• Belongs to Sultanwind village, Amritsar; started as ‘Granthi Singh’ in 1989
• Was among ‘Panj Pyaras’ at Akal Takht between 1995 and 2014
• On April 21, 2014, he was selected as a granthi of the Golden Temple
• Was appointed acting Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib on Aug 24, 2017

Harpreet Singh had recently attended the engagement ceremony of Punjab MP Raghav Chadha and actor Parineeti Chopra. After holding its executive body meeting here, the SGPC appointed Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib acting Jathedar Giani Raghubir Singh as the new “regular” Jathedar of Akal Takht. Giani Sultan Singh, granthi of the Golden Temple, has been appointed the regular Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib. Giani Harpreet Singh will continue to serve as the Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo.

Announcing this, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said Giani Harpreet Singh, who held the dual charge of Akal Takht and Takht Damdama Sahib, had willingly decided to step down from the acting charge of Akal Takht. Giani Harpreet Singh is on a foreign tour and is expected to return shortly.

“It will be wrong to interpret that the SGPC has removed Giani Harpreet Singh. I was in touch with him over the phone. He volunteered to leave the “acting” charge of Akal Takht and continue with the charge of Takht Damdama Sahib. Since there was a long-pending demand for appointing a regular Jathedar of Akal Takht, it was fulfilled. The executive body has chosen Giani Raghubir Singh as Akal Takht Jathedar,” he said. Meanwhile, Giani Raghubir Singh will also hold the additional charge as head granthi of the Golden Temple. Similarly, Giani Sultan Singh will continue to serve as a granthi of the Golden Temple. Giani Raghubir Singh said his focus would be on taking preventive steps to check sacrilege incidents, propagate Sikhism through the Dharam Parchar Committee of the SGPC and initiate an exercise to connect the younger generation with Sikhism.