Chandigarh: The resignation of Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, following “misbehaviour” by senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Virsa Singh Valtoha, has increased tensions between the party and the Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of the Sikhs.
The crisis deepened Thursday with Sikh bodies gathering at the Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo in support of the jathedar, even as senior SAD leaders offered an unconditional apology to Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghubir Singh and jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) turned down the resignation Thursday.
The matter has also caused a political furore in the state with the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) coming out in support of the jathedar, and demanding criminal action against Valtoha, a former MLA. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, while condemning the treatment meted out to the jathedar, promised to take action against anyone who had directly or indirectly threatened him and his family members.
Valtoha, a SAD spokesperson, has been targeting Giani Harpreet Singh for the past few weeks alleging that he had been working at the behest of the BJP and the RSS. His resignation was accepted by the party Wednesday.
The Takth Damdama Sahib is among the five seats (takhts) of authority of the Sikhs, and its jathedar is among the five jathedars who are together empowered to take all decisions with regard to the Sikh religion and the Sikh community.
This crisis comes at a time when the Akal Takht jathedar along with jathedars of the other four seats of authority are considering an apology offered by SAD chief Sukhbir Badal for “all the allegations” levelled against him in a complaint given by a rebel group of the party.
Badal was declared a tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht in August. He was found guilty on account of taking decisions that led to “severe depletion of the image of the Sikh community, deterioration of the condition of the Shiromani Akali Dal and damaging Sikh interests”. These decisions, according to the Akal Takht, were taken by Badal in his capacity as deputy CM and SAD chief. Badal remained the deputy CM of Punjab from 2007 to 2017, and has been the party’s president since 2008.
Also Read: From Maharaja Ranjit Singh to Sukhbir Badal, who are ‘tankhaiyas’ & how they atone for sins
What happened
Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, a former acting jathedar of the Akal Takht, resigned from his position Wednesday alleging that Valtoha had threatened him and his family members “including his daughters”.
In a video message, the jathedar alleged that Valtoha was being supported by some “third class leaders” of the Akali Dal apart from the party’s social media team. “I could never imagine that Valtoha would stoop this low to harm me. He has been constantly assassinating my character, questioning my caste, sending threatening messages, not even sparing references to my daughters.”
On the verge of tears, he added: “The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, which is my organisation, has chosen to remain silent about it. And while I am a jathedar, I am also a father of daughters and I cannot serve the takht like this.”
Within hours of Harpreet Singh resigning, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghubir Singh came out in his support and said in a video message that in case the resignation is accepted by the SGPC, he along with other jathedars would be forced to resign.
Raghubir Singh also condemned the “derogatory language” used against Giani Harpreet Singh and his family members by Valtoha. “All the jathedars are being threatened. Information was being gathered about my family members also who live abroad. What my children do is also being found out,” he added.
He further said that despite having brought the matter into the public domain, Valtoha has continued to attack the jathedars. “This is the first time in history that someone has started disrespecting us and threatening our families,” he added.
Giani Raghubir Singh also requested jathedar Harpreet Singh to reconsider his decision to resign.
On Monday, jathedar Raghubir Singh had asked the Akali Dal to expel Valtoha within 24 hours and ban him from returning to the party for the next 10 years. He also told the party that Valtoha had threatened him as well when he went to visit him at his house to enquire about his health. The orders were issued by the Akal Takht to SAD’s executive president Balwinder Singh Bhundar.
A Badal loyalist and a former militant, Valtoha had fought the Lok Sabha elections against radical preacher Amritpal Singh from Khadoor Sahib but lost. He resigned from all positions in the party Tuesday, accepting the verdict of the Akal Takht while presenting himself before jathedars Raghubir Singh and Harpreet Singh. However, he handed them a letter giving “evidence” of jathedar Harpreet Singh’s connections with the BJP and the RSS.
Responding to jathedar Harpreet Singh’s allegations, Valtoha said in a video message that he had never threatened him or his family members, nor questioned his caste. He said he was ready to present himself before the Guru Granth Sahib and stand by what he was saying, but the same should also be done by jathedar Harpreet Singh.
‘Unconditional apology’
Amid growing tensions between the Akal Takht and the SAD, Bhundar along with SAD general secretary Daljit Singh Cheema visited jathedar Raghubir Singh in Amritsar Thursday. Bhundar then also met jathedar Harpreet Singh in Talwandi Sabo.
Addressing a press conference in Amritsar, Cheema offered an unconditional apology on behalf of the Akali Dal saying that no member of the party had ever intended to harm the position of the Akal Takht or show any disrespect to the jathedars.
“The Akali Dal has always bowed before the Akal Takht. The Akali Dal was born out of the Gurdwara reform movement at the Akal Takht. We respect all the jathedars. However with folded hands, I on behalf of the party apologise for the misbehaviour of any party member. I apologise on behalf of Valtoha as well,” said Cheema.
“On behalf of the party president, I also want to warn our party members that they should refrain from saying anything against the Akal Takth including on social media,” he added.
Addressing a press conference in Amritsar Thursday, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said he had rejected the resignation of jathedar Harpreet Singh. He added that the SGPC had always respected the jathedars and will always continue to do so.
“The services rendered by jathedar Harpreet Singh have been commendable and the community needs his services in the future as well. We appeal to him to continue his services,” Dhami said, adding that the Sikh community was currently going through a critical phase as “anti-panth forces, the RSS and the BJP were constantly targeting Sikh institutions”.
Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami rejects resignation of Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh
Amritsar:
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has rejected the resignation of Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Giani… pic.twitter.com/wXWxk7uzm2— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCAmritsar) October 17, 2024
AAP, Congress up the ante
On Thursday, Congress MPs Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa from Gurdaspur and Gurjeet Singh Aujla from Amritsar asked the ruling AAP to initiate criminal action against Valtoha. While Randhawa has written to the state DGP Gaurav Yadav, Aujla has written to CM Mann.
ਮਾਣਯੋਗ @DGPPunjabPolice ਸਾਹਿਬ,ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਭਰੇ ਮਨ ਨਾਲ ਪੱਤਰ ਲਿਖ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ ਕਿ ਵਿਰਸਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਲਟੋਹਾ, ਅਕਾਲੀ ਦਲ ਆਈ ਟੀ ਵਿੰਗ ਅਤੇ ਅਕਾਲੀ ਸੁਪਰੀਮੋ ਵਿਰੁੱਧ ਪਰਚਾ ਦਰਜ਼ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇ।
ਉਮੀਦ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਤੁਸੀ ਸਮੁੱਚੀ ਸਿੱਖ ਕੌਮ ਦੀਆਂ ਭਾਵਨਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਝਦਿਆਂ ਬਣਦੀ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਕਰੋਗੇ।
ਅੱਜ ਸਮੁੱਚੀ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮ ਲੇਵਾ ਸਿੱਖ ਸੰਗਤ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਵਲ ਵੇਖ… pic.twitter.com/FUewDPmsXE— Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (@Sukhjinder_INC) October 17, 2024
“Hon.@BhagwantMann Ji, I urge you to take immediate action against Akali leader Virsa Valtoha for threatening Jathedar Giani Harpreet Ji. Personal attack on the revered Jathedar Sahib is an insult to entire Sikh community & must not go unpunished @ANI @INCIndia @INCSandesh pic.twitter.com/qhYw3VJzlh
— Gurjeet Singh Aujla (@GurjeetSAujla) October 17, 2024
In a video message Mann said that such behaviour towards the two jathedars was unacceptable and condemnable. “The Akal Takth is a hugely respected body of the Sikhs and every Sikh who is watching the events of the past few days is pained by the manner in which the jathedars of the Akal Takht are being treated.”
He added: “As a political party we do not interfere in religious affairs at all but as the chief minister of the state and its administrative head I will not allow any person to disrespect the jathedars or threaten them or their children. In case we find any social media link or a direct or indirect manner in which the leader of any political party, how much ever senior he may be, has threatened the jathedars, we will take the strictest possible action.”
AAP spokesperson and Anandpur Sahib MLA Malwinder Singh Kang said Thursday that it was unfortunate that the Akali Dal had allowed the situation to come to this. “The Shiromani Akali Dal has only one seat in the Parliament and yet its leaders are full of arrogance and ego which is evident from the manner in which Valtoha has behaved with the jathedars.”
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) condemns the derogatory remarks by Virsa Singh Valtoha against Respected Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh Ji.
AAP MP @kang_malvinder urges Jathedar ji to reconsider his resignation, stressing that the Sikh community needs his leadership.
The Badal… pic.twitter.com/HeP5P3Ohjc
— AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab) October 17, 2024
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
