SGPC sacks Akal Takht, Kesgarh Sahib Jathedars

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has terminated the services of Giani Raghbir Singh as Jathedar of Akal Takht for “failing to guide the Panth and address contemporary issues effectively”.

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The SGPC executive, at a meeting here today, also removed Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Sultan Singh from his post. He has been replaced by a new face, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gadgaj (40), who will hold additional charge of officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht.

Giani Raghbir Singh and Giani Sultan Singh will, however, continue their services as Head Granthi and Granthi, respectively, of the Golden Temple.

New faces at helm

• Giani Kuldeep Singh Gadgaj replaces Giani Sultan Singh as Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib; he will hold additional charge as Akal Takht Jathedar following Giani Raghbir Singh’s ouster
• Baba Tek Singh Dhanaula is new Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar — post fell vacant after Giani Harpreet’s ouster; Giani Raghbir Singh & Giani Sultan Singh to stay as Head Granthi & Granthi of Golden Temple

Another new entrant, Baba Tek Singh Dhanaula, has been appointed Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo. The seat fell vacant following the unceremonious exit of incumbent Giani Harpreet Singh in February. Friday’s developments are being seen as a fallout of the December 2 decree pronounced by the five high priests, indicting then Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal and his associates for Panthic misconduct during the Akali regime between 2007 and 2017. The three Jathedars — Giani Raghbir Singh, Giani Sultan Singh and Giani Harpreet Singh — were among the five high priests who had awarded them “takhah” (religious punishment) and stripped former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of the “Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum” title. The SGPC executive has kept its decision pending on the resignation submitted by its president Harjinder Singh Dhami. In his absence, senior vice-president Raghujit Singh Virk convened the meeting.

Virk justified Giani Raghbir Singh’s removal, saying: “His leadership was deemed inadequate in guiding the Panth. It had also created a division within the Sikh institutions.”

He said other Jathedars too had been changed keeping in view the interest of the Panth and maintaining the supreme authority of Miri Piri, the Sikh doctrine of a close relationship between religion and politics, established by Guru Hargobind.

“Akal Takht is the highest temporal seat of all Takhts, serving as the spiritual and political centre of Sikh governance. In this era of globalisation, the Jathedar must provide clear and unwavering leadership to safeguard Sikh interests. Unfortunately, Giani Raghbir Singh’s inconsistent approach has weakened Panthic unity, instead of strengthening it.

“His inconsistent statements and inability to address critical Panthic matters were impacting the Sikh values and morality leading to disappointment among the Sikh Sangat. Given these serious shortcomings, the executive committee decided to relieve him of the charge,” Virk said. The new Jathedar of Akal Takht would be appointed after extensive consultations with the stakeholders, he added.

Kuldeep Singh Gadgaj

The new Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib hails from Jabbowal village in Amritsar and has been working as a preacher since 2001. A postgraduate in history, he pursued Sikh religious studies from Sikh Missionary College. He has been giving religious discourse at Gurdwara Manji Sahib Diwan Hall in the Golden Temple complex for the past three years.

Baba Tek Singh Dhanaula

The new Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib is the head of Bunga Mastuana, Damdama Sahib. Once a Parkash Singh Badal confidant, Dhanaula switched over to Surjeet Singh Barnala-led SAD (Longowal) after a spat with Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. He unsuccessfully contested the 2011 SGPC polls. After a brief stint in the Congress, he returned to SAD after Dhindsa's ouster. He was made SAD district president of Barnala unit in 2020 and was part of the panel of SAD's 24-member advisory board constituted in 2023.