The reaction of the Sikh community to the dismissal of Giani Harpreet Singh, the Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, shows that the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal still faces a big challenge in the battle of perceptions.
Meanwhile, questions and challenges have been raised for Giani Raghbir Singh, the Jathedar of Akal Takht, and the leadership of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is facing a lot of criticism from the Sikh constituency. Mainly, the ardent supporters of the faction of Akali leader Sukhbir Singh Badal are creating a narrative about the dismissal that if the Shiromani Committee appoints Singh Sahibs, then the Shiromani Committee also has the right to remove them.
Jathedars and Singh Sahibs are employees of the Prabandhak Committee. Therefore, the Prabandhak Committees also have the right to investigate and take action in the matter regarding Jathedars and Singh Sahibs. In December 2024, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee was also ordered by the five Singh Sahibs to transfer Giani Gurmukh Singh out of Amritsar. Badal-backed Akali leaders believe that there are many references to this, as per the service rules, the rights to investigate or take action against the Jathedar or Singh Sahibs are with the Management Committees. The Jathedar can order the Management
Committee to conduct an investigation, but the investigation conducted by the Management Committee has always been recognized by Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
IP Singh has written in the Times of India that after the announcement of December 2, which was expected to bring all the Akali factions together, the bitterness in Sikh politics has increased after the dismissal of Giani Harpreet Singh from the Jathedarship. Despite all this, the Badal Akali leadership is unconcerned and is continuing its membership drive. Former Akali reform movement leaders, including Bibi Jagir Kaur, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Parminder Singh Dhindsa and others, have already issued a joint statement criticising the dismissal. They had said that the action of the SGPC’s executive committee amounted to bowing down to the “arrogance of one person and one family”.
They had appealed to Giani Harpreet Singh to come into the fray for the revival of the Akali Dal. They had said that the SGPC had put Sikh traditions at stake, which had led to great disappointment in the community. Rebel Akali leader Gurpartap Singh Wadala says that the Badal Dal high command was forcing the Takht Jathedars, who control the Panthic affairs, to take decisions of their choice and they treated the Jathedars, who follow the etiquette of the Akal Takht, in an unfair and anti-Sikh manner. He also called on various Panthic personalities and Panthic organisations to unite.
The SGPC Facebook page, sharing the information about Giani Harpreet’s dismissal, was flooded with critical comments, although some people supported the SGPC. Those who have supported the decision to dismiss Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on social media are attacking Giani Harpreet. They say that the BJP has made Giani Harpreet Singh’s duty to eliminate the Akali Dal.
At this time, questions are also rising for Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar Giani Raghbir, who is on a UK tour, as he had earlier said that it is not within the jurisdiction of the SGPC to conduct such an investigation against Giani Harpreet and any complaint against a Jathedar falls under the jurisdiction of the Akal Takht. Jathedar Raghbir Singh had on January 6 declared Giani Harpreet Singh innocent and cancelled the investigation sub-committee. According to sources, Jathedar Raghbir Singh has extended his foreign trip by a week, but the eyes of the Sikh community are now on the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, whether the Jathedar will intervene in the matter on his own or call a meeting of the five Singh Sahibs to discuss the matter.
Dal Khalsa also criticized the dismissal and said that until a system is created for the appointment and removal of Takht Jathedars, such disgusting and unpleasant situations will continue to arise. This is not the first time that a Jathedar has been brutally removed by the SGPC.
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee President Harmeet Singh Kalka said that the decision taken by the Akali Dal Badal leadership using the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee regarding Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh is a politics of revenge and a black day in the history of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. He said that today the entire nation needs to be alert and stand with the Jathedars.
