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Why is Sikh clergy angry? Song-dance at Punjab govt event on Guru's martyrdom; minister says sorry after Takht summons
Video goes viral' minister Harjot Bains issues an apology, says 'will come barefoot’ for hearing scheduled by Sikh temporal body for August 1
A major controversy has erupted over alleged violation of Sikh ‘maryada’ (religious code) after a song-and-dance video went viral from a Punjab government event held to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains on Saturday issued an apology and “humbly submitted” himself for a hearing scheduled by the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal body of the Sikhs, for August 1.
His apology came almost immediately after the jathedar summoned him and the director of the state language department, Jaswant Singh Zafar, to appear before five Singh Sahiban (Sikh clergy) on August 1 at the Takht in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.
Zafar had not yet reacted when this report was filed on July 26 evening.
Bir Singh, the singer who performed at the on July 24 event, has already offered an apology in person to the clergy; and posted a video with a detailed clarification too.
The Akal Takht carries the traditional authority of awarding punishment, ranging from community service at gurdwaras to excommunication and socio-religious boycott.
What minister Bains says: ‘Invited Bir Singh because…’
Bains, a senior leader of the ruling AAP, in his post in Punjabi on Saturday, explained that in the event organised by the language department, “prominent intellectuals and scholars shared their thoughts about the life and martyrdom [of the guru]”.
He said Bir Singh was invited for being "a devout Sikh singer", who had also sung a composition by the ninth guru, Salok Mahalla Nauvan. “Due to an unintentional oversight by the organisers, for whatever happened during this event, as a Sikh and a cabinet Minister, I seek forgiveness," Bains added.
Stressing that he is “a true and humble Sikh”, he said “I will present myself barefoot at Sri Akal Takht Sahib and be bound to obey every command.”
In its summons, the jathedar had said that neither minister Bains nor director Zafar had clarified their position “nor issued any apology for hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community”. He said it was for the first time that an event commemorating the martyrdom centenary of a guru began with songs, dance, and entertainment, “something entirely unacceptable”.
Bir Singh, in a Facebook and Instagram video of apology, said his management made “the biggest mistake" by “not giving me with accurate information”.
“I went directly to the stage, and since all my attention was on the audience, I didn't see the banner behind the stage. This is my mistake... When we realised that the programme was dedicated to the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, we immediately apologised to the sangat and recited Salok Mahalla Nauvan."
He added that he has always sung songs that “you can listen to with your entire family”.
Bickering over who can hold events
Already, there was an ongoing war of words over who can or should organise events in the run-up to and mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur in November.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the elected religious body of the Sikhs, had objected to separate events by the state government.
But Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had questioned the SGPC and asked whether it has a "copyright" over holding such events.
