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Probe against Giani Harpreet Singh: Sikh groups, experts flay SGPC move
Giani Harpreet Singh, a day before the SGPC meeting, had alleged that he was being targeted for his role in the religious punishment given to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal and others on December 2
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) move to constitute a three-member panel to probe the charges levelled by a person against Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh has not gone down well with the section of the Sikh community.
On Thursday, in an emergency meeting at Gurdwara Degsar Sahib in Ludhiana, the SGPC executive committee handed over the charge of Takht Damdama Sahib to its head granthi till a decision is made based on the report by the probe panel.
Giani Harpreet Singh, a day before the SGPC meeting, had alleged that he was being targeted for his role in the religious punishment given to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders on December 2.
Besides various Sikh bodies, experts and Sikh historians have condemned the move and it’s learnt that even Akal Takht is unhappy with the decision.
Sikh thinker and former IAS Gurtej Singh termed it the most unfortunate development of our times. “The SGPC has tried to defame a straightforward jathedar. This is a desperate attempt by the SAD to avoid reviving and rejuvenating the party as desired by Akal Takht hukamnama (edict) of December 2. The Sikh people must stand firmly behind Giani Harpreet Singh,” Gurtej Singh said.
The SGPC member and grand-daughter of one of the founders of Akali Dal Master Tara Singh, Kiranjot Kaur, said the way Giani Harpreet has been a victim of character assassination and trolling is unprecedented for a jathedar of a Takht.
“Akali Dal’s direct interference at Akal Takht in 2015 led to the present situation and action against Giani Harpreet Singh is new low. It seems the ‘Akali’ leaders have neither Akali values nor ethics. It is behaving like a gang out for revenge,” Kiranjot Kaur said.
Dal Khalsa said it’s a ‘witch-hunt’ and SGPC should roll back its decision.
Working president Paramjit Singh Mand and party leader Kanwar Pal Singh urged Akal Takht jathedar Gaini Raghbir Singh to intervene.
Objections have also been raised over the composition of the probe panel comprising Raghujit Singh Virk, a known loyalist of the Badal family, general secretary Sher Singh Mandwala, who is SAD district president of Faridkot, and executive committee member Daljit Singh Bhinder.
Virk is among those SGPC members who were summoned over the newspaper advertisement issued by the gurdwara body in 2015 at the cost of ₹90 lakh to justify the pardon granted to Dera Sirsa chief in blasphemy case and served tankhah as he was part of the leaders who were punished by the Takht on December 2. As acting Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had also held Virk guilty for the 2016 fire incident at Guru Granth Sahib Bhawan.
Advocate Sarabjit Singh Verka, a human rights activist, said keeping in view of Virk’s indictment in these cases, making him head of the panel probe charges against Giani Harpreet Singh is highly condemnable.
A gathering has been called at Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Muktsar Sahib on December 22 in support of Giani Harpreet Singh.
Takht jathedar not happy with SGPC’s move: Sources
As per the sources close to jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, Akal Takht is also annoyed with the action taken by the SGPC. He has reportedly conveyed his resentment against this decision to the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami over the phone. According to persons privy to the development, jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh will announce his verdict on the matter in a day or two if the SGPC doesn’t roll back its decision.
