Akal Takht Sahib is the highest religious and political seat of the Sikh community. This is the holy place where Sri Guru Hargobind S
ahib Ji established the principle of Miri-Piri and gave the Sikh community a truthful, impartial and just institution. But in the past, the dignity of this holy place has been continuously being hurt. The latest controversy has arisen regarding the reappointment of Giani Gurmukh Singh as the chief granthi of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, which has raised serious questions in the minds of the Sikh community. Giani Gurbachan Singh Jathedar Akal Takht, Giani Gurmukh Singh and five Singh Sahibs including him had pardoned Dera Sirsa chief rapist Sadh Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015, which had created a huge uproar in the Sikh community, as the Dera chief was accused of tampering with the dignity of Sikhism and copying Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
The assembly of the five Singh Sahibs on December 2, 2024, considered the explanation of Giani Gurmukh Singh unsatisfactory and removed him from the service of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and sent him to Sri Muktsar Sahib. Also, under the leadership of Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, he was sentenced to 11 days of religious punishment, in which he was ordered to perform various services.
Now, after Giani Gurmukh Singh completed his service, on June 21, 2025, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has re-appointed Giani Gurmukh Singh as the Chief Granthi of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. This decision has become a cause of controversy in the Sikh Sangat. The question is whether a person, whom the five Singh Sahibs considered guilty of a decision against the Panth, can be entitled to serve the same holy place? Does completing the punishment eliminate the seriousness of that charge? And the biggest question—doesn’t this decision of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee undermine the supremacy and sanctity of Sri Akal Takht Sahib?
Sri Akal Takht Sahib is the symbol of the common voice and justice of the Sikh Panth. This is the place from where Panthic decisions are taken in the light of the consensus of the Sangat and Gurmat principles. But the 2015 pardon controversy had already raised questions about the supremacy of this place. At that time, the Sangat had felt that political pressure was dominating the decisions of the Akal Takht Sahib. In particular, Sukhbir Singh Badal and the Badal Akali Dal were accused of pressurizing religious institutions to get the Dera Sirsa chief pardoned. In his explanation, Giani Gurmukh Singh did not say which political power was behind the pardon decision. The Sangat has not got an answer to this question even today.
This appointment of the Chief Granthi of Sri Akal Takht Sahib is not an issue that can be dismissed as a mere administrative decision. It is an issue directly related to the dignity of the Panth, the faith of the Sangat and the supremacy of Akal Takht Sahib.
The reappointment of Giani Gurmukh Singh has been strongly opposed by the Sikh Sangat, Panthic organizations and some members of the Shiromani Committee. Panthic leaders have considered it a betrayal of the dignity of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the faith of the Sangat. Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Dal Khalsa and other Panthic organizations had issued statements condemning the decision of the Shiromani Committee. They said that re-appointing a person who was sentenced for a decision against the Panth to such a high position is a conspiracy to weaken the supreme body of the Sikh Panth.
Some members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Teja Singh Kamalpur, Jaswant Singh Purain, Malkit Singh Changal, Bibi Jagir Kaur have also objected to this decision. They said that what criteria were adopted for the appointment of Giani Gurmukh Singh? They demanded that consultation should be done with the Sangat and Panthic organizations before appointment to such positions.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is the largest administrative body of the Sikh Panth, which was established to manage the Gurdwaras and maintain the dignity of the Sikh religion. But in the past, the decisions of this body have hurt the trust of the Sangat. The reappointment of Giani Gurmukh Singh is also one such decision, which has raised questions about the intention and capacity of the Shiromani Committee. The Sangat believes that for the appointment of the Chief Granthi of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, such a person should be selected, whose Panthic service, dignity and truthful existence are beyond doubt. But the appointment of Giani Gurmukh Singh did not meet this criterion. There is a heated discussion in the Sangat as to whether the Shiromani Committee has taken this decision to achieve any political pressure or political equation? If so, then this is a direct violation of the independence and sanctity of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The Shiromani Committee should give primacy to the opinion of the Santhic organizations and the Sangat on this issue, so that the dignity of Akal Takht Sahib and the trust of the Sangat are maintained.
