SGPC probe against Giani Harpreet Singh could put Akal Takht Jathedar in tight spot

The SGPC has formed a panel to look into the allegations against Giani Harpreet Singh.

While announcing the religious sentence for SAD leader Sukhbir Badal and others, Giani Raghbir Singh had said, “The leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal has lost its moral authority to lead the Sikh panth politically due to its actions. Therefore, the five Singh Sahibans have formed a committee to assign the duty to initiate the reorganisation of the Shiromani Akali Dal…new delegates must be appointed, and within six months, elections for the president and other office-bearers must be conducted as per the constitution.”

The SAD(B) has yet to act on the directions. Now all eyes will be on Giani Raghbir Singh on whether he would allow any relaxation in the directions, especially since Giani Harpreet Singh has raised suspicions over the same.

Akal Takht Jathedar Raghbir Singh had earlier issued orders to the SAD(B) to expel its spokesman and former MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha from the party for raising “false allegations” against Sikh Jathedars that they “worked under pressure from the BJP”.

Besides, Giani Raghbir Singh is aware that former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh faced the Sikh community’s anger for allegedly not living up to expectations in 2015 when he issued a pardon to Dera Sirsa head Gurmeet Ram Rahim over a 2007 blasphemy case. Considering this, Giani Raghbir Singh has more pressure to be morally upright than to honour his personal relationship with Giani Harpreet Singh.

It is also a fact that both the Jathedars were appointed to their posts in the absence of any formal criteria.

On March 29, 2000, the then Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti had instructed the SGPC to establish a procedure for the appointment of Takht Jathedars. During his tenure, Giani Harpreet Singh had sent two reminders to the SGPC to follow Vedanti’s instructions. Critics have alleged that the SGPC appoints Jathedars based on connections rather than credibility or qualification.

Giani Harpreet Singh’s rise

Giani Harpreet Singh was a relatively unknown figure when he was appointed the Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar in 2018. At the time, no one was reportedly willing to take up the post due to the controversy sparked by the pardon granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

Giani Harpreet Singh, who hails from Muktsar which is Sukhbir Badal’s home district, was not only made the Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar, but was also given acting charge of the Sri Akal Takht Sahib as Giani Gurbachan Singh had resigned.

On the SGPC foundation day in 2020, Giani Harpreet Singh was criticised for allegedly favouring the SAD(B) over other Panthic organisations.

Nevertheless, the SAD(B) leadership is said to have viewed his meeting with Union minister Amit Shah in 2022 at the Sri Akal Takht Sahib secretariat as a red flag. Last year, SAD(B) leaders accused him of going soft on the Delhi Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee leadership which was close to the BJP.

The SGPC appointed Giani Raghbir Singh to his post in June 2023. But after the December 2 religious sentence, the Akalis have allegedly targeted only Giani Harpreet Singh.

Meanwhile, the challenge before Raghbir Singh will be to keep his slate clean in the last leg of his service as the head Granthi of Darbar Sahib.