E-Paper
{Gurbani telecast row} Govt has made mockery of Gurdwaras Act: Ex-Akal Takht jathedar
The Bill was passed in the name of ending monopoly of PTC channel on the live telecast of Gurbani from Golden Temple. Whether this Bill is valid or not can only be determined by legal experts. We should have prevented such circumstances for the government to have to take such a step
Days after stepping down as Akal Takht acting jathedar, Giani Harpreet Singh on Thursday while casting doubts about the legal validity of the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, said, “We all are responsible for creating these circumstances.”
The Bill was passed by the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on June 20.
Interacting with the media at the Akal Takht secretariat at his farewell following the installation ceremony of his successor, Giani Raghbir Singh, he said,
“Whether this Bill is valid or not can only be determined by legal experts. We should have prevented such circumstances for the government to have to take such a step. This makes a mockery of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925.”
He said, “In 1959, a pact between Master Tara Singh and then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru mentioned that no amendment can be made to the Act without the consent of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) general house. And, no amendment was made after that. The amendment made by the AAP government is a violation of that pact and should not have been done.”
When asked if the Punjab government wants to take control of the SGPC through the legislation like Haryana did in the case of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), he reiterated, “We must think why such circumstances are prevailing in the first place that governments have started taking control of our organisations. We all are responsible for creating these circumstances.”
As acting jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh has asked the SGPC to launch its own channel in April, 2022 for Gurbani telecast, citing it as a long cherished dream of the Sikhs community. However, SGPC failed to do so. In his speech during the recent assembly session, during which the Bill was passed, Mann stated that Giani Harpreet Singh had asked the SGPC to launch its own channel. Many in the Sikh community have repeatedly asked the SGPC launched its own channel.
Haryana’s control of gurdwaras ‘illegal’
Giani Harpreet Singh, who continues as jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, said, “This is for the first time that the Haryana government constituted the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC). Yes, they constituted the committee in reference to a clause of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966, that authorises the Haryana government to constitute its corporation. However, the SGPC was managing affairs of Haryana gurdwaras under Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925. These gurdwaras could not be snatched from the SGPC. As per Act, these gurdwaras are notified with SGPC. Until these are not denotified, the Haryana committee cannot take over them. The Haryana committee may have taken control of these gurdwaras, but it is illegal. The right of denotifying gurdwaras lies with Parliament. The SGPC should file a PIL in the Supreme Court to challenge the gurdwara being taken over by the Haryana committee on this ground.”
“I am happy that Guru Sahib blessed me with fearlessness and impartiality during my five-year-long service as acting jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib,” he said.
‘SGPC acted in its wisdom, no objection’
He said, “I had charge of two Takhts—Akal Takht and Takht Damdama Sahib. When I went to Australia recently, I spoke to the SGPC chief secretary that now I want to retire from the services. I said that if the SGPC wanted, it could assign the services of both the Takhts to any other eligible person. I am ready to quit as Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar even today.”
“I have already said once in an interview that I would not accept any pressure and whenever I felt that I was being pressurised to do something, I would quit. Now, I am feeling relaxed”, he added.
Asked if attending AAP MP Raghav Chadha and actor Parineeti Chopra’s engagement ceremony led to his downfall, the former Akal Takht acting jathedar said, “No, that was not a big issue. What the SGPC did is right according to its wisdom. I have no objection to it.”
Responding to SAD leader Virsa Singh Valtoha’s statement that the jathedar must have courage and fearlessness, Giani Harpreet Singh said, “Valtoha has extraordinary courage and fearlessness. I would like to ask the SGPC to assign the services of Akal Takht jathedar to Valtoha so that he can do what he wants to.”
On the growing demand for making rules for appointment and retirement of the jathedars, he said, “We have sent reminders twice that there must be rules of appointment and retirement of the Akal Takht Jathedar.”
