My character assassination aims to divert focus from Akal Takht Sahib’s decision on SAD reorganisation, says Giani Harpreet

Before addressing the media, Giani Harpreet Singh spoke from the Takht Damdama Sahib podium to respond to allegations of an illicit relationship with a female relative.

“I will not resign. If the SGPC wants to remove me, they can. I will welcome their decision,” he said, amid speculation that the SGPC might replace him at an interim committee meeting on Thursday.

He added, “I have made it clear to those who approached me and reiterate now: I will not participate in any meeting of jathedars designed to undermine the directions issued by the Akal Takht Sahib on December 2.”

The Jathedar alleged that a person named Nachatar Singh used his personal funds to boost defamatory posts against him. While a person with the same name heads the SAD’s IT wing, Giani Harpreet Singh did not clarify if they were the same individual.

Commenting on the possible alteration of the Akal Takht Sahib’s directives, he said, “This could involve changes to the resignation clause, committee memberships, or the party’s reorganisation process.”

He further accused SAD leaders of using the additional 20 days granted for implementing the Akal Takht Sahib’s directives as an opportunity to launch a smear campaign against him. “They want to break me and force me to step away,” he claimed.

“My only fault is that I was part of the collective decision taken by the five jathedars at Sri Akal Takht Sahib on December 2. It was not my individual decision, yet I am the only one being targeted. There was a time when Akalis respected and protected the modesty of women. Those who trolled me cannot be called Akalis—they are followers of a faction. They should study the heritage of the SAD, which fought for the Panth, not individuals,” he said.

When asked if the December 2 directives would be altered, he responded, “The truth will come out in the days ahead. If the decision is changed, it will be judged in the court of the Panth.”

On December 2, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh had announced religious punishment for SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and others. He had declared, “The leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal has lost its moral authority to lead the Sikh Panth politically. The Five Singh Sahibans have thus formed a committee to oversee the reorganisation of the Shiromani Akali Dal. The recruitment process must be transparent, with Aadhaar cards required for new members. Elections for the president and other office-bearers must be conducted within six months as per the constitution.”

The Jathedar also directed the SAD working committee to accept Sukhbir Singh Badal’s resignation.

Although Sukhbir Singh Badal and other SAD leaders have completed their atonement, no significant steps have been taken to implement the Akal Takht Sahib’s reorganisation directives.

Giani Harpreet Singh noted, “Some Sikhs feel the December 2 decisions were not strict enough, while others think they were too harsh.”

Since the December 2 directives, Giani Harpreet Singh has faced relentless trolling on social media, with personal attacks accusing him of masterminding the decisions.

Addressing the personal allegations, he said, “A former SAD leader and some Akali leaders from Muktsar hired someone to spread false defamatory claims against me. Interviews with this individual were aired on various channels. I have instructed my lawyer to get these defamatory interviews removed. A fake social media page in my name was also created, which I got deleted after filing a complaint with the authorities.”

He further stated, “I pray to the Almighty that if any of these allegations are true, I should be punished. But none of these allegations hold any truth. I funded my sister-in-law’s education and later got her married. She is like my daughter. She faced domestic violence in her marriage and separated. These incidents are 18 years old. Now, social media is being used to falsely target me and my family because of the December 2 decisions.”

A video has also surfaced showing Giani Harpreet Singh losing his temper while arguing with Virsa Singh Valtoha, who was summoned at Sri Akal Takht Sahib on October 15 for accusing the Jathedar of having links with the BJP. During the argument, Giani Harpreet Singh was heard using abusive language. The Akal Takht Sahib had directed the SAD to expel Valtoha and warned him against defaming Sikh jathedars on December 2.

On the leaked video, Giani Harpreet Singh said, “I don’t know how the clip was released. There was only one copy, held by Giani Raghbir Singh. If the full video is released, people might criticise us (jathedars) for not being harsher with Valtoha.”