E-Paper
Free SGPC from Badal family’s control: Golden Temple head granthi
Giani Raghbir Singh, who was sacked as Akal Takht jathedar by the SGPC executive committee in March last year, alleges corruption in the apex gurdwara governing body, calls for Sarbat Khalsa to restore Panthic autonomy.
Giani Raghbir Singh, the head granthi of the Golden Temple, on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), accusing the Badal family of “grievously hurting” Sikh religious sentiments for political gains and called for a Sarbat Khalsa (grand assembly) to “liberate” the SGPC.
Addressing a press conference in Jalandhar, Giani Raghbir alleged that the Badal family’s decades-long control had institutionalised corruption within the SGPC. The allegations come at a time when the SAD is attempting to regain lost ground through a statewide outreach programme, led by its president Sukhbir Singh Badal, in the run-up to the 2027 assembly elections.
“I’m pained to disclose these anomalies. The SGPC is plagued with massive corruption, ranging from the case of 328 missing ‘saroops’ to arbitrary employee transfers and mismanagement of ‘langar’ funds,” he said.
He claimed that the Guru ki Golak (Sikh community chest) was being plundered through the illegal sale of properties, misappropriation of building funds and questionable leasing of SGPC land.
Giani Raghbir, who was sacked as Akal Takht jathedar by the SGPC executive committee in March last year, but remains the Golden Temple head granthi, alleged that the SAD had been derailed over the past decade. He claimed the party, originally formed for the welfare of the Panth (Sikh community), now used the SGPC as a tool for its leaders.
Listing a series of controversial decisions, Giani Raghbir cited the appointments of former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and Mohammad Izhar Alam, the 2015 pardon granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the clearance for the movie MSG in Punjab, and the subsequent sacrilege incidents that led to the killing of two Sikh youths. “These decisions, taken under the Badal regime, damaged the Sikh Panth on a massive scale,” he said.
“I have been receiving calls from people across the globe, questioning our silence over key Sikh issues despite holding responsible posts. After much introspection, I have decided to speak and expose those responsible for damaging the whole community,” said Giani Raghbir.
His allegations came a day before a rally by SAD’s breakaway faction in Jalandhar on Thursday.
He urged Nihang bodies, Sikh Sabhas and other organisations to convene the Sarbat Khalsa to end the “monopoly of one single family” and fix responsibility for the mismanagement of Sikh affairs. This, he argued, was the only way to restore the autonomy and Panthic status of the committee.
Anticipating a backlash, the head granthi said: “I know I will be removed from my post in the coming days. Even after the Akal Takht issued a ‘hukamnama’ on December 2, 2024, I was pressured by these forces to claim the entire episode was orchestrated by the RSS.”
Pertinently, Giani Raghbir had moved a petition in the Punjab and Haryana high court last year, seeking legal protection against his potential removal from the position of head granthi. However, he later withdrew the application.
He had alleged that he was being pressured to give statements in the favour of SAD during the Tarn Taran assembly bypoll against the December 2 Akal Takht edict, but he refused directly, saying he cannot give political statements.
In the 2024 edict, the Sikh clergy declared that the SAD leadership had forfeited its moral right to provide political patronage to the Panth due to its “past sins”.
The Akal Takht directed the SAD working committee to accept the resignation of Sukhbir Singh Badal as party president, after holding him tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) for mistakes committed by the party and its government between 2007 and 2017. Following a complaint by rebel Akali leaders, Sukhbir and several senior colleagues underwent tankhah (religious punishment) awarded by the clergy. The late former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal was also posthumously stripped of his “Fakhr-e-Quam” title.
On SAD’s part, Gurcharan Singh Grewal, a senior vice-president in the party and also an SGPC member, termed Giani Raghbir Singh’s allegations condemnable.
Claiming that his statements required a deeper probe, Grewal said it would have been better to give evidence and names of “those taking bribes in the gurdwara body”.
“The name of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal is being dragged without any reason,” he said, adding that SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami will speak on the matter in detail.
Call regarding Giani Raghbir’s services likely at SGPC executive panel meet today
Amid speculations over Giani Raghbir Singh’s removal from the post of Golden Temple head granthi, a meeting of SGPC’s executive committee will be held on Thursday, where a decision may be taken regarding his services.
When asked to respond to the allegations levelled by Giani Raghbir, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, while refusing to give further details, said, “We will speak on this during the press conference to be organised after the meeting of executive committee on Thursday.”
However, SGPC sources said the issue will be discussed during the meeting and any kind of decision may be taken during the meeting, to be held at the SGPC head office.
Giani Raghbir Singh has reportedly been on leave for months.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the SGPC spokesperson, the head granthi of Akal Takht, Giani Gurmukh Singh, said creating confusion among the Sikh sangat on matters deeply connected with Sikh sentiments, while holding a highly respected position, was unacceptable under any circumstances.
He also appealed to the Sikh sangat to remain vigilant against such misleading propaganda.
