SGPC investigation report indicts Giani Harpreet on several counts
The SGPC has held Giani Harpreet Singh guilty of misconduct not only on the basis of the complaint against him over an old domestic dispute, but also on the charges of violating “maryada” by disrupting a kirtan at the Takht Damdama Sahib, being non-cooperative with the SGPC inquiry panel, burying the report on Ajnala police station attack by pro-Khalistan activist Amritpal Singh and his supporters and failing to prove allegations of SAD “expelled” leader Virsa Singh Valtoha.
This was revealed in the report of the SGPC’s three-member investigation panel. Consequently, a majority of the SGPC executive members present at the meeting chaired by committee president Harjinder Singh Dhami decided to terminate his services as his act was considered to be “denting the dignity and sanctity” of the Takht.
In a video message, Giani Harpreet Singh, meanwhile, said he already had inkling of such a decision, especially after the December 2 directives of the Akal Takht against the SAD leadership.
Without naming any party or individual, he said, “By December 6, I had 110 per cent feeling that my services would be permanently terminated. Now I am burden-free and can work for the sake of Panth. The SGPC was pressured politically. It was not the first time, other Jathedars also faced identical treatment in case they refused to bow in the face of political influence,” he said.
Nonetheless, the SGPC panel report, having written statements of “Panj Pyare” suggested that cocking a snook at “maryada” (tenets), Giani Harpreet Singh orchestrated his “clarification” on his own by disrupting the kirtan for 10-15 minutes. The “Panj Pyare”, who had no inkling about the matter, were just made to stand up when he started speaking about his innocence in an 18-year-old family dispute. The Takht manager gave in writing that it was a violation of “maryada”.
The report also held him guilty of not responding to the panel members’ queries, saying “he was not willing to go below the dignity of jathedar’s post by appearing or replying to any inquiry panel.
He was also held responsible for not taking cognisance of disrespect to Sri Guru Granth Sahib when the “palki” was frisked at the entrance of the CM’s residence by security guards on the occasion of wedding.
It was pointed out that during his stint as acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, he brushed aside the sub-committee’s probe report on the incident when Amritpal Singh and his supporters took “palki” vehicle to the Ajnala police station and created ruckus to set free one of his accomplices in 2023.
