Siropa snub for Jathedar Gargaj at Takht event

Akal Takht’s officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj faced an awkward moment on Friday when a Sikh activist stopped him from presenting a “siropa” (robe of honour) to the kin of Mehal Singh Babbar, general secretary of the Babbar Khalsa International, who died at Nankana Sahib in Pakistan recently. The activist lodged his dissent over accepting Giani Gargaj as Jathedar.

Deceased militant’s bhog

Row erupts during the bhog of BKI militant who died in Pakistan recently

An “akhand path” was held in the memory of Babbar by the SGPC-sponsored Akhand Kirtani Jatha at Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Gurbax Singh Ji, located behind the Akal Takht. Officials of the SGPC and other Sikh organisations were present on the occasion.

During the bhog ceremony, SGPC secretary Partap Singh handed a “siropa” to Giani Gargaj to present to Babbar’s kin. However, Sikh activist Jarnail Singh Sakhira intervened, saying, “Jathedar Saheb, eh na karo… Tuhanu quom Jathedar nahin mandi (Jathedar Saheb, don’t do this, the community doesn’t accept you as Jathedar).”

Giani Gargaj responded humbly, folding his hands and stepping back. The situation was resolved after Giani Baljit Singh, a granthi of the Golden Temple, was called upon to present the “siropas” instead.

Sakhira, a key organiser of the 2015 Sarbat Khalsa, defended his protest, stating that the Sikh community (Panth) only recognised Jagtar Singh Hawara, currently serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail for the assassination of former Punjab CM Beant Singh, as the rightful Jathedar of Akal Takht. In Hawara’s absence, he said, Dhyan Singh Mand was the acting Jathedar.

Both Hawara and Mand were appointed during the controversial 2015 Sarbat Khalsa held at Chabba village in Amritsar district, who operated parallel to the then-official Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh. Their appointment came amid backlash over Gurbachan Singh’s flip-flop decision to exonerate the Dera Sacha Sauda chief.

Sakhira argued that any Jathedar appointed by the SGPC under the influence of the Badal family “is illegitimate”. “How can Giani Gargaj confer a ‘siropa’ when the Panth has never accepted his appointment?” he said.

He criticised the SGPC for lacking proper vidhi vidhan (principles) in appointing Jathedars, alleging that the committee acted as a puppet of the SAD. “Only those who toe their line are appointed. Those who oppose them are removed disrespectfully, as we’ve seen recently,” he added.

When asked if his opposition aligned with the Damdami Taksal and other Sikh bodies protesting the removal of Giani Raghbir Singh and two other Jathedars (Giani Sultan Singh of Takht Kesgarh Sahib and Giani Harpreet Singh of Takht Damdama Sahib), Sakhira clarified, “We don’t just reject Gargaj. We reject all SGPC-appointed Jathedars.”

Punjab