Damdami Taksal, Dal Khalsa and other organizations launched a campaign to remove the Jathedar.
At present, the entire fight of the anti-Akali Dal and Badal Dal Panthic factions seems to be for Miri, i.e. to seize power in the state, there is no campaign going on to implement the principled side anywhere. Damdami Taksal, Sudhar Lehar and Dal Khalsa are continuing the campaign to reinstate the Jathedars against the Badal Dal and the Shiromani Committee.
The head of Damdami Taksal has failed to hold a large gathering on Hola Mohalla. On the occasion of Hola Mohalla, six resolutions were passed in the Panthic gathering held under the leadership of Damdami Taksal head Sant Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa. In which, first of all, the cancellation of the appointment of Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj as Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and acting Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Baba Tek Singh Dhanaula as Takht Sri Damdama Sahib was announced amidst cheers. In addition, the second resolution said that the Shiromani Committee should respect the sentiments of the Panth by immediately handing over the service to Giani Raghbir Singh as Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Sultan Singh as Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Giani Harpreet Singh as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib. In the third resolution, thanks were given to the three members of the interim committee. The Singhs who had opposed the removal and the remaining 11 interim committee members were appealed to make efforts to get the old Jathedars of the Takht Sahibs and the appointment of the new Jathedars cancelled before March 17. In the fourth resolution read by Giani Hardeep Singh, the SGPC was appealed to make a written procedure with the approval of the Sikh Panth for the appointment and service of the Jathedars of the Takht Sahibs. In the fifth resolution, every Sikh should meet the SGPC member of his constituency before the budget session to be held on March 28 and appeal to contribute to the cancellation of the anti-Pant decisions taken by the interim committee. If these SGPC members do not fulfill their duty, then the Sangat should oppose these SGPC members. In addition, the Sangat should reach Amritsar in droves in the budget session on March 28. In the sixth resolution, the Sangat appealed to Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa, the head of Damdami Taksal, to take the great saints, Sikh sects and all organizations along with him and lead the Sikh Panth to get out of these crises. On this occasion, former president of Haryana Gurdwara Management Committee Baljit Singh Daduwal, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Charanjit Singh Brar, Harbans Singh Manjhpur, Baba Nihal Singh Harian Velan, Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Sucha Singh Chhotepur, and a large number of personalities were present.
The entire Sikh Sangat, led by Supreme Council of Navi Mumbai Gurdwara Chairman Bhai Jaspal Singh Sidhu, has demanded that the SGPC President revoke the decisions taken regarding the Jathedars and reinstate the previous Jathedars. They said that we stand in solidarity with the resolutions passed in the Panthic gathering held at Anandpur Sahib under the leadership of Sant Harnam Singh Khalsa, Head of Damdami Taksal. And if the respect of the Jathedars is not restored, then we will join the gherao to be held by the SGPC outside Teja Singh Samundri Hall on March 28.
Dal Khalsa Chief Paramjit Singh protested by shedding his blood in front of the main gate of the SGPC headquarters, opposing the appointment of new Jathedars. Party workers led by Paramjit Singh Mand reached the SGPC headquarters and demanded the reinstatement of former Jathedars Giani Raghbir Singh, Giani Harpreet Singh and Giani Sultan Singh. Mand used a syringe to draw blood from his arm and poured the blood in front of the main gate of the SGPC office. Paramjit Singh said that the administration of Sri Akal Takht Sahib should be separated from the SGPC administration. Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the Jathedars are not under the SGPC. While Sri Akal Takht Sahib has separate sovereignty, the Jathedars should also be independent. He also demanded that the management of Akal Takht Sahib be separated from the management and jurisdiction of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
On the other hand, Parambans Singh Bunty Romana, an Akali leader and considered to be very close to Sukhbir Badal, targeted the Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma and said that earlier he used to wear a blue turban and a parna around his neck, Bhai Ji used to call everyone Guru Fateh, now he wears a saffron turban and a saffron parna around his neck, the colors of Baba Dhumma’s turbans change every day. Then along with this, he wrote that do people who salute the rising sun or change their stand according to the wind have the right to be called Panthic leaders or to lead a great organization like Damdami Taksal?
Senior Badal Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema alleged that the Punjab government and the central government are engaged in instigating civil war among the Sikhs. He said that a conspiracy is being hatched to capture the institutions of the Sikhs. He said that both the state and central governments should learn lessons from the past.
Former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Paramjit Singh Sarna told the Damdami Taksal that when even 200 people have come to pay obeisance on the land of Anandpur Sahib and despite putting in all their efforts, not even 200 people have reached, it becomes clear and evident that the entire Sikh community considers the decision taken by the SGPC’s internal committee to be correct.
Panthic thinkers believe that the BJP has infiltrated this fight through some of its own leaders to complicate this fight.
At present, even if the BJP leadership is
Tar is making a statement that it will contest the 2027 Punjab assembly elections alone and form the government. But the situation in Punjab is different from the country, the ratio of religious population here is not 80-20 like the country. Therefore, it is clear that the BJP will definitely make an agreement with a faction of the Akali Dal to capture state power in Punjab, but will not make an agreement with the faction led by Sukhbir Singh Badal. Some leaders of the other party have also given clear indications that they are sure to have an agreement with the BJP. While it also seems certain that the faction led by Sukhbir Singh Badal will not lay down its arms and this fight for state power will continue. By the way, this is not only a fight for political power in Punjab, but it is also a fight to maintain and capture control of the Shiromani Committee. But this fight is tarnishing the image of the Sikhs and the Darbar Sahib, because dharnas are being held in front of the Shiromani Committee office. Secondly, the tradition of Sri Akal Takht Sahib is being violated in this fight.
Despite the opposition, the SGPC is unlikely to change its decisions
This is not the first time that Jathedars have been removed and installed at will, and the decisions of many Jathedars have also been disapproved by the Sangat. In such a situation, it seems even more necessary that the SGPC itself, for the permanent restoration of the glory of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, should determine the method of appointment, qualification, selection method, scope of work, rights, duties and duration of appointment of Jathedars of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and other Takhts, and such situations in which it may be necessary to remove the Jathedar prematurely. This method should be such that the SGPC establishes a world-level Sikh structure for the appointment of Jathedars so that the Jathedars automatically become accepted Jathedars of Sarbat.
In the last 10 years, the representation of Sikhs has also decreased a lot in the country’s politics, but even so, despite being only 2 crore Sikhs, they are still a part of the government to some extent, only because Sikhs have not declared any party as untouchable. Sikhs are ready to join every party and come forward. They do not do this only in India, but in many other countries of the world as well, for this reason they are a part of the government. Not only Muslims, today even Christians who are older than Sikhs are far away from the government. Therefore, we will have to devise a ‘strategy’ to use politics to solve the religious and social problems of Sikhs. We should not be ordered to stay in any one party. But we will have to understand and think that wherever we live, we should be aware of our religious beliefs and religious and social concerns. Sri Akal Takht Sahib should provide religious and social leadership to the Sikhs, and when there is a common problem or a religious push for the Sikh religion, it should also provide political leadership, but this can only happen when the Sikhs in every party consider themselves dedicated to Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
Jathedars cannot propagate Sikhism
It is worth noting that at present the Jathedars are not providing religious and political leadership to the entire Sikh world, but are only involved in the issue of the election of the president of one party, Akali Dal Badal. Whereas the Jathedars should have taken the entire nation under their wing and united them in Akali and Panthic unity, but unfortunately this has not happened in reality. This is destroying the dignity of Akal Takht Sahib. These Jathedars have not been able to contribute to Sikh propaganda so far. Their activities have been limited to foreign trips and the camps of Sant Samaj.
After the removal of Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and other Jathedars by the SGPC’s internal committee and the appointment of new Jathedars, there was a bit of a stir after Sukhbir Singh Badal’s close relative and prominent Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia and his associates opposed it. There was also an impression that the SGPC might withdraw this decision, but now it has been learnt through sources that there is little chance of this happening. This will not happen, rather the SGPC’s internal committee and the Akali Dal Badal will also stick to this decision. Yes, in the meantime, efforts to convince Majithia have certainly intensified. Majithia’s silence after giving a statement on this once is also giving the impression that he might not leave the Akali Dal Badal. Panthic organizations have not supported Majithia either. So far, the anti-Badal factions have not been able to unite.
