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Order against SGPC chief evokes mixed response

Neena Chaudhary

For the first time since the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee was established in 1925, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Puran Singh has directed its chief not to perform her official duties.

He has asked first woman SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur not to perform her official duties till she appears before the Akal Takht and suffers religious punishment for violating its religious directives.

Giani Puran Singh had awarded sewa (religious punishment) to 10 SGPC executive committee members who attended a December 23 meeting (when a resolution was passed to celebrate the birth annivesary of the tenth guru of the sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh on January 5) in violation of previous Takht edicts.

As part of sewa, for two days they would clean utensils, listen to the holy Gurbani and recite prayers from Japuji Saheb, five times inside the Golden Temple complex, the holiest sikh shrine.

Interestingly, Bibi Jagir Kaur who had been ex-communicated a week ago, did not appear before the Akal Takht yesterday while almost every member of the executive committee was present in the courtyard facing the Takht building in the Golden Temple complex.

Giani Puran Singh started the proceedings for the day from the gallery of the first floor of the Akal Takht with ardas (traditional sikh prayer). He advised the gathering, especially the journalists, to avoid questioning the quantum of sewa decided by the Akal Takht, which he said could last for a few minutes or a few months.

He said that the date for the Guru Gobind Singh fete was decided in accordance with the Nanakshahi calendar, which had been rejected by the Akal Takht. The ten members immediately got up to sumbit before the Akal Takht and agreed to abide by any decision announced by the jathedar.

Thus the SGPC executive has legitimised a hukumnama issued by Giani Puran Singh from Guna in Madhya Pradesh, on January 25, when he ex-communicated Bibi Jagir Kaur for violating the Akal Takht directives.

Later, addressing the media, Giani Puran Singh said that as Bibi Jagir Kaur has been ex-communicated, she has been restrained from functioning as SGPC president. However, it was not necessary for her to tender her resignation.

He reminded that then Akal Takht jathedar Akali Phula Singh had directed Sikh ruler, Maharaja Ranjit Singh to abdicate his throne, when the latter had accepted to receive lashes publicly for religious misconduct.

Regarding the future course of action, he said it would be worked out only after Bibi Jagir Kaur sends a written representation. He said that the top clergy would then fix a date for her appearance before the Akal Takht. He refused to lay down a timeframe for her to approach the Akal Takht.

Meanwhile, Bibi Jagir Kaur, who has returned to Chandigarh after meeting Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and other senior Akali leaders near Jalandhar, has refused to comment on the decision of the jathedar.

However, Giani Puran Singh's decision has evoked a mixed response from various quarters. While some say it was a total sellout before Badal, others feel it was a timely decision to uphold the dignity of the Akal Takht.

Former jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh charged that the concilatory stance of Gianni Puran Singh was part of a compromise between Badal, Bibi Jagir Kaur and Giani Puran Singh, to maintain peace till the completion of the forthcoming by-elections for the Nawanshahr assembly seat, where much is at stake for the chief minister.

Bhai Ranjit Singh said that this was evident from the fact that, unlike on previous occasions, especially when he was in charge, the state government made no attempt to disrupt yesterday's meeting as Badal was confident of a 'favorable' decision from the present jathedar, who had been appointed at the behest of the chief minister.

Joginder Singh Talwara, leader of the pro-hard line Akhand Kirtani Jatha, said that the Sikh community needed to know what action was being contemplated against the five clerics who had rejected the hukumnama issued by Giani Puran Singh. He also asked the SGPC to clarify its stand on the procedure adopted by the jathedar in issuing the controversial edict.

Baba Kashmira Singh and Baba Mangal Singh, chief and acting president of the Gurmat Sidhant Pracharak Sant Samaj, have welcomed the decision of the jathedar. They have argued that Giani Puran Singh had upheld the traditional supremacy and sovereignity of the Akal Takht.

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