Why Jathedar Harpreet Singh’s sacking may open Pandora’s box for Akali Dal, Akal Takht

The SGPC had earlier suspended Harpreet Singh from his post. He has, however, denied the allegations.

Both the Akali Dal and the SGPC person been facing attacks from the outspoken Harpreet Singh for the past mates of months, with the second accusing immoderate SAD leaders of allegedly moving a run for his “character assassination” to divert attraction from the directives issued by the Akal Takht connected December 2 past year.

The termination of Harpreet Singh’s services whitethorn unfastened a Pandora’s container which could person implications for the SGPC, the Akali Dal, and the Akal Takht, whose linkages are astatine the halfway of the existent situation facing Akali politics. The SGPC is besides the appointing authorization for the station of the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal spot of Sikhs.

On December 2, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, on with 4 different Jathedars including Harpreet Singh, declared past SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal “tankhaiya” (guilty of violating the Sikh spiritual code) for “mistakes” made by him arsenic Punjab lawman main curate from 2008 to 2017, including the incidents of “sacrilege” nether the past SAD-BJP authorities led by his begetter precocious Parkash Singh Badal.

The Akal Takht Jathedar called for Sukhbir’s resignation arsenic the Akali Dal main and for the party’s reorganisation starting with a rank thrust followed by interior elections. The Akal Takht besides formed a seven-members committee for reorganising the SAD portion calling the existing enactment enactment “unfit”.

Since its debacle successful the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections, the SAD has been successful a escaped fall, struggling to reverse its governmental fortunes successful successive authorities Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

In 2022, erstwhile the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept the authorities Assembly polls, winning 92 retired of 117 seats arsenic against the Congress’s 18, the SAD, contesting the polls solo aft break-up with the BJP, could triumph conscionable 3 seats. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the SAD got conscionable 1 spot arsenic against the Congress’s 7 and the AAP’s 3 seats.

Observers accidental Sukhbir’s submission earlier the Akal Takht connected December 2 and his acceptance of spiritual punishment was meant to amended the party’s representation among Sikhs successful anticipation to triumph backmost its ballot bank. The enactment was besides facing allegations of “misusing its power implicit SGPC and Akal Takht”.

The SAD’s evident nonaccomplishment to instrumentality the Akal Takht’s December 2 directives afloat has heightened tensions, with Harpreet Singh’s bid to up the ante against the enactment fuelling it further.

None of the Jathedars of the 5 Sikh Takhts has a fixed tenure. In the past 3 decades, astatine slightest six Jathedars, including Harpreet Singh, came successful struggle with the SAD and were removed by the SGPC that utilized its discretionary power. Also, nary Akal Takht Jathedar has been capable to implicit his word without facing a enactment successful the caller past.

Notably, determination are nary laid-down rules oregon norms for the appointments and removals of the Jathedars, with a draught blueprint successful this respect pending for the SGPC’s support and implementation since March 2008.

Harpreet Singh hails from Muktsar, Sukhbir Badal’s location district. He was not a known fig successful 2018 erstwhile the SGPC named him arsenic the Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar. He was past besides appointed arsenic the acting Akal Takht Jathedar arsenic Giani Gurbachan Singh had resigned from the station amid clamour for his removal for having fixed pardon to Dera Sirsa caput Gurmeet Ram Rahim successful a sacrilege lawsuit successful 2015.

SGPC vs Harpreet Singh

The SGPC has maintained that it has fired Harpreet Singh arsenic the Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar implicit allegations of misconduct against him.

Hitting back, Harpreet Singh had said that the SGPC probe against him was a bid to deflect attraction from the Akal Takht’s directives connected the SAD’s reorganisation.

On January 6, reacting to the SGPC’s probe against Harpreet Singh, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh said, “I had objected to the SGPC probe against Giani Harpreet Singh due to the fact that lone Akal Takht tin motorboat specified a probe against a Jathedar. Second, Giani Harpreet Singh has fixed the clarification successful beforehand of Panj Payaras (five beloved) that helium has not committed the misdeed that has been alleged against him. In this script specified a probe means nothing.”

SGPC elder vice president Raghujit Singh Virk, who is portion of the body’s three-member sheet that probed the allegations against Harpreet Singh, is known arsenic a adjacent adjutant of the Badal family.

On December 2, Virk was among those held blameworthy by the Jathedars for issuing advertisements worthy Rs 91 lakh connected behalf of the SGPC to warrant the pardon fixed to the Dera Sirsa head.

Back successful 2020, Virk was besides among the SGPC enforcement committee members, who were recovered blameworthy by past acting Akal Takht Jathedar Harpreet Singh implicit an incidental of occurrence astatine Guru Granth Sahib Bhavan successful 2016.

Virk’s inclusion successful the SGPC sheet probing allegations against Harpreet Singh raised questions successful the panthic circles implicit its “credibility” arsenic helium was probing idiosyncratic who had declared him “guilty” twice.

Harpreet Singh said, “The SGPC had probed the aforesaid allegations against maine overmuch earlier I was made Jathedar. They didn’t find thing successful these allegations and successful aboriginal years I was appointed Jathedar. Now, the aforesaid allegations are again being probed by the sheet which is not eligible to bash so.”

It is to beryllium seen whether Akal Takht Jathedar Raghbir Singh sticks to his basal and face the SGPC implicit Harpret Singh’s removal, oregon chooses different course. He is presently connected a overseas tour.