Akal Takht, SGPC lock horns again, this time on calendar

Coming into clash are Bibi Jagir Kaur, the first woman president of the SGPC and Giani Puran Singh, Jathedar of the Akal Takht. And this despite a common link that binds them together. The common link is Parkash Singh Badal, who was instrumental in their installation in the high offices of the Sikhcommunity during the religio-political crisis earlier last year. The crisis led to the ouster of then SGPC chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra followed by Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh as Badal entered the religious domain for the first time and appropriated all the religio-political powers to emerge as the supreme leader.

Bhai Ranjit Singh had come into clash with Badal after the Akal Takht issued a Hukamnama (edict) ordering status quo in the ruling Akali Dal till April 15 to avoid a split in view of the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations, which was interpreted as a move to provide breather to Tohra. Bhai Ranjit Singh was shown the door before he could initiate steps to summon Badal at the supreme seat for prayer and politics. The religio-political crisis had its impact on the last Lok Sabha elections also which was one of the main reasons for the rout of the ruling Akali Dal by way of division in the Sikh vote bank.

The Nanakshahi calender, which is a solar calender, makes complete departure from thelunar calender which is being followed by the Sikh community presently. The dates of the Hindu festivals are fixed on the basis of lunar calender. Giani Puran Singh had stayed implementation of the Nanakshahi calender which had been cleared by the SGPC. He is being supported by a section of the Sant Samaj, the Sikh sants who normally do not follow the Rehat-Maryada (religious code of conduct) approved by the SGPC.

“Giani Puran Singh is trying to convert the Akal Takht into a midway house between Sikhism and Hinduism,” said Gurtej Singh, former IAS officer and national professor of Sikhism.

Giani Puran Singh had earlier generated a lot of controversy with his statement describing the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, as the descendant of Lav and Kush, the sons of Lord Ram. He made the statement on the basis of some writing in the Dasam Granth associated with Guru Gobind Singh. The authenticity of a number of writings contained in the Dasam Granth has come to be questioned by Sikh scholars. However, DamdamiTaksal, the Sikh seminary, holds a very rigid view on the authenticity of the Dasam Granth.

For the Taksal, its authenticity cannot be questioned. And Giani Puran Singh had his training with the Taksal. It is a different matter that this seminary came to be associated with militancy under Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

The line Giani Puran Singh has taken otherwise suits the political line adopted by the ruling Akali Dal which shed its Panthic agenda while hammering the slogan of Punjabiat. It marked a qualitative shift for the Akali Dal. The lunar calender is a common link between the Hindus and the Sikhs who have a close socio-cultural affinity.

A senior Akali leader preferring anonymity said the Akali Dal could afford to move from the Panthic agenda to Punjabiat but that cannot be the case with the SGPC which has to look after the interests of the Sikhs and that precisely the problem of Bibi Jagir Kaur, despite her being a nominee of Badal. He said the political line adopted by the mainstreamAkali Dal was a correct one in tune with the demands of the situation. Then the SGPC has its own compulsion.

The solar calender is scientific as it advocates claim but then it is a sensitive issue which calls for proper debate in the community at various levels. The problems are already there. The martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur was observed twice. The same is happening with the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh. The SGPC directed that it should be celebrated on January 5 as per the Nanakshahi calender while it falls on January 14 according to the lunar calender. The Sikh community stands divided on the issue.

Before that, the confrontation between the Akal Takht and the SGPC would have to be resolved. In the process, some heads could roll, though not immediately.