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Punjab: Facing flak, SGPC’s Dec 23 meet to review move against Giani Harpreet Singh
Convening its third meeting in a fortnight on December 23, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is likely to hand over the investigation to Akal Takht jathedar.
Under fire for suspending the services of Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh for 15 days and constituting a three-member panel to probe charges levelled by a person against him, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami has called an emergency meeting of its executive committee on December 23 probably to review its decision and hand over the probe to Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh.
As per SGPC chief secretary Kulwant Singh Manan, the executive committee meeting will be held at its headquarters at 12 pm and an “important issue would be discussed”. This will be the third executive meeting of the gurdwara body in a fortnight.
The last meeting was held just two days ago (on Thursday) at Degsar Sahib Katana (Ludhiana), during which the gurdwara body put bar on the services of Giani Harpreet Singh and constituted the panel comprising SGPC senior vice president Raghujit Singh Virk, general secretary Sher Singh Mandwala and executive member Daljit Singh Bhinder. It decided that the incumbent head granthi of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Giani Jagtar Singh would perform the services under the jurisdiction of the Takht until a decision is made on the investigation report.
The move faced stiff opposition from Sikh segments and the action was termed “humiliation” for a jathedar of one of the Sikh temporal seats and dignity of the Takht. Besides, it was considered as breach in the jurisdiction of Akal Takht jathedar since only he can get allegations against other jathedars probed.
Pertinently, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh also expressed annoyance over the decision of the SGPC and conveyed his resentment to its president Harjinder Singh Dhami. Keeping in view the growing anger among the community over the decision which is allegedly being taken under pressure of SAD leaders, the SGPC may probably review it.
The decision against Giani Harpreet Singh was taken a day after he alleged that he was being subjected to character assassination by SAD leaders for his role in awarding religious punishment to party president Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders on December 2.
Meanwhile, Tarsem Singh, father of jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, also approached Giani Raghbir Singh on Saturday on the issue of Giani Harpreet Singh. As doors of the Akal Takht secretariat were locked, he put his letter addressed to the jathedar in the suggestion box hanging outside. “The treatment meted out to Giani Harpreet Singh is wrong. His voice is being suppressed by SGPC and SAD leaders,” he said while interacting with mediapersons.
Action sought against SAD leader Grewal
Tarsem Singh, father of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, has sought Akal Takht’s action against SAD leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal who allegedly made an objectionable remark against SGPC official Satwant Kaur, who is daughter of slain All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) president Amrik Singh. Tarsem Singh was accompanied by by Sukhwinder Singh, nephew of PM Indira Gandhi’s assassin Satwant Singh.
The remark against the SGPC official was made after a CCTV footage surfaced in which Sukhbir Singh Badal’s attacker Narain Singh Chaura was seen meeting her at the SGPC head office.
Amrik Singh was close aide of slain militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and who was killed along with him during the Operation Bluestar in 1984.
A delegation of AISSF president Kanwar Charat Singh also visited the Akal Takht to seek action against Grewal, seeking stringent action against SAD leaders for speaking against Satwant Kaur.
