Chandigarh: Harjinder Singh Dhami, president of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), found himself in the midst of a controversy after he was heard hurling abuses at bête noire Bibi Jagir Kaur during a now-viral telephonic conversation.
On Saturday, Punjab State Women Commission asked Dhami to appear in person at its office in Mohali on 17 December and submit a written explanation. This was a day after he issued an unconditional apology and said he also sought forgiveness from Akal Takht.
Raj Lali Gill, chairperson of Punjab State Women Commission, said Saturday that the women’s panel is taking the issue seriously. She confirmed in a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) that a suo motu notice had been issued to Dhami in this regard.
Bibi Jagir Kaur told media persons Saturday that she was “shocked” at the hatred Dhami harboured for her, adding that she would pursue the matter legally.
Dhami and the 70-year-old former SGPC president and minister in the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government have been adversaries for years now. They contested against one another for the post of SGPC president in October. Dhami won by a margin of 35 votes.
Bibi Jagir Kaur is also among prominent faces of the Akali Dal rebel group that moved Akal Takht against Sukhbir Singh Badal following which he was first declared ‘tankhaiya’ (sinner of the religion) and later handed punishments which he completed this week.
She, along with a few other leaders of the rebel group, were also handed out punishments by the Akal Takht for being party to decisions taken by Badal as head of Akali Dal when the party was in power in Punjab (2007-17).
Also Read: Sukhbir Singh Badal dodged a gunman—the real threat is the Akal Takht’s verdict
Dhami’s viral audio & Kaur’s reaction
The undated audio conversation that has landed Harjinder Singh Dhami in trouble is between him and a person who identifies himself as Gurminder Singh from Kotkapura.
Gurminder asks Dhami about Akal Takht’s direction to SGPC to accept Badal’s resignation as Akali Dal chief within three days of the announcement. Dhami tries to explain that the last date for accepting Badal’s resignation was extended to 20 December and that a decision to that effect had been taken by Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh.
Gurminder asks if a decision taken collectively by the five jathedars, including Giani Raghbir Singh, can be altered by one jathedar. Dhami says there are several precedents for it.
At this point, Gurminder mentions that he spoke to Bibi Jagir Kaur who he said alleged Dhami approached the Akal Takht jathedar seeking an extension. Dhami loses his cool and starts hurling abuses at Kaur, asking Gurminder why he would believe a ‘woman like her’.
On Friday, Dhami issued an unconditional apology for his outburst.
“I should have restrained myself from getting angry and emotional. Whatever I said was not something I intended to say. I apologize to Bibi Jagir Kaur and to women in general whom I hold in great regard. I have also submitted an application with the Akal Takht to forgive me for my behaviour and whatever punishment that the Akal Takht finds wishes to give me will be acceptable to me,” he told media persons.
Reacting to the audio clip, Kaur told media persons the next day that Dhami holds a respectable position within the Sikh community and his “outburst only shows he is full of hatred for me and could not contain it”.
She confirmed that she spoke to Gurminder about her views on Akal Takht’s directives. “I told him it was wrong that the decision was not being followed.” She added that after talking to Dhami, Gurminder called her and told her that Dhami had abused her. She also said that she will wait for the outcome of the probe being conducted by the women’s panel.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
