Punjab: Jathedars’ removal act of revenge, says CM Mann
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann flags off the seventh batch of 36 school principals to get training at Principal’s Academy in Singapore from March 9 to 15
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday slammed the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership, terming the “unceremonious” removal of jathedars as revenge. CM Mann, who flagged off the seventh batch of 36 school principals to get training at Principal’s Academy in Singapore from March 9 to 15, said while replying to a query that the removal of jathedar is unfortunate as now the “politics is choosing the religious leaders”.
On Friday, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had removed Giani Raghbir Singh from post of Akal Takht jathedar and Giani Sultan Singh as Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib jathedar and appointed Sikh scholar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj as the new jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib (Anandpur Sahib). He would also serve as the acting jathedar of Akal Takht, until an appointment is made.
The chief minister said the Akalis had indulged in theatrics by apologising for the “sins committed by them” in full public glare at Sri Akal Takht Sahib. “After the jathedars pronounced Akali leadership guilty, they have been targeted since then,” CM Mann said.
The CM said the Akali leadership is removing the jathedars out of “vengeance” which is “unwarranted and undesirable”. “This has bruised the psyche of entire Sikh community, and they will never forgive them. This trend of picking and removing the jathedars by rejected leaders reflects the sorry state of affairs,” Bhagwant Mann said.
“Ironically, the validity of the interim committee that removed the jathedars expired around a decade ago as Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) polls have not been held for a long time. The central government should immediately conduct the elections so that the gurdwaras of the state can be freed from the modern day mahants,” he added.
The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, on December 2 last year had pronounced religious punishment for SAD leaders, including Badal, for “mistakes” committed by the political party and its government in Punjab from 2007-17. Giani Raghbir Singh, Giani Sultan Singh and Giani Harpreet Singh were part of the five Singh Sahibans (Sikh clergy) who had pronounced the edict. Giani Harpreet Singh was removed from the services as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib on February 10.
The CM was accompanied by education minister Harjot Singh Bains during the flagging off ceremony for 36 school principals. The CM said the move would go a long way in imparting quality education to the students. He said that the well-trained staff has helped in enhancing the rate of admissions in the government schools of the state.
Highlighting the drive against drugs, Mann said senior officers of districts have been asked to visit schools to create awareness among students.
He extended good wishes to the national cricket team for the upcoming final match of Champions Trophy, slated to be held tomorrow.
