Amidst tussle with Akal Takht, SGPC President Dhami resigns

Amritsar, Feb 17 (IANS) Amid the crisis between the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami resigned from his post on Monday. 

Saying he has resigned as a token of respect for the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh, Dhami, who is known for his proximity with the Badal family, also offered to step down from the seven-member committee formed by the Akal Takht Jathedar in December last for reorganisation of the Akali Dal. 

Dhami had been facing "criticism" from the Akal Takht Jathedar (high priest) for removing Giani Harpreet Singh as the Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib. Also, the Akali Dal's acting President Balwinder Singh Bhundar did not appear before the seven-member committee headed by Dhami so far. 

The resignation of Dhami is seen as a setback for the Akali Dal that had "put pressure" on the SGPC executive committee to remove Giani Harpreet Singh as he played a key role in last year’s decree of the Sikh clergy in which tankhah (religious punishment) was given to Sukhbir Badal and other Akali leaders. 

While the Akal Takht is the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, the SGPC is known as a mini-parliament of Sikh affairs. 

Issuing a clarification on a Facebook post of Jathedar Raghbir Singh on February 13 regarding the termination of services of Giani Harpreet Singh, Dhami said Harpreet Singh's removal was "highly condemnable" and "unfortunate". 

"After the statement of Giani Raghbir Singh, I take moral responsibility for the decision and resign from the top post of SGPC on moral grounds with immediate effect," Dhami.

"I also appeal to the Singh Sahib (Giani Raghbir Singh) to remove me from my role as head of the seven-member committee… Circumstances for the Panth (Sikh community) are very serious and the government is trying to weaken Sikh organisations," he added. 

Acting on a complaint, the SGPC on February 10 held that Giani Harpreet Singh was found guilty and terminated him from service. The decision was made during SGPC’s executive body meeting held in Amritsar. 

Dhami, who chaired the meeting, refrained from talking to the media about the termination of Giani Harpreet Singh, who was replaced by the head granthi of Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Jagtar Singh. 

SGPC Secretary Partap Singh said Giani Harpreet Singh’s removal was based on a complaint filed against him. "For the time being, the head granthi of Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Jagtar Singh, would continue to hold the charge. The report submitted by the SGPC panel held Giani Harpreet Singh guilty of the allegations levelled against him. It was accepted by the majority of the executive members and the decision was taken to terminate his services in the light of keeping the sanctity of the Takht," he had said. 

The complaint of Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Muktsar Sahib, on December 16 last year had alleged misconduct by Giani Harpreet Singh. Three SGPC executive members -- Paramjit Singh Raipur, Jaswant Singh Purain, and Amrik Singh -- had walked out of the meeting in protest, saying the decision was politically motivated.