Explainer: Why is there a lack of clarity on Takht Jathedars’ appointment and removal?

The recent removal of Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has sparked debate on who should have the authority to appoint or remove the religious heads of five temporal seats (Takhts) of the Sikhs.

Due to the lack of clear rules and clarity, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a political party which controls the SGPC, has become a kind of strong authority on the appointment and tenure of Jathedars. It has been alleged that any religious head who displeased the SAD leadership and its extended arm, the SGPC, should be ready to get the marching orders.

The fresh controversy

An interim executive committee of the SGPC removed Giani Raghbir Singh (Akal Takht), Giani Sultan Singh (Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib) and Giani Harpreet Singh (Takht Sri Damdama Sahib) on March 7. The interim committee decided in the absence of SGPC president H S Dhami, who had tendered his resignation few days ago due to the ongoing conflict between the Akal Takht and the SAD over the latter’s membership drive. Several Sikh organisations, besides experts on Sikh matters, criticised the removal of the Jathedar and demanded the SGPC to frame concrete policy matters on Jathedars.

The three Jathedars had earned the ire of the SAD as they were part of the five high priests’ panel that had pronounced ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) on December 2 to Sukhbir Singh Badal and other ‘guilty’ Akali leaders, who were ministers or core committee members during the party’s tenure between 2007-2017 when several controversial decisions were taken, which had dented the Panthic interests.

Similarly, the appointment of Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj as new Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib in Sri Anandpur Sahib with an additional charge of Akal Takht as ‘Officiating Jathedar’, and another new face Baba Tek Singh Dhanaula, who was chosen as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, too, had invited the ire on account of “violation of Sikh principles and maryada applicable at the time of appointing the Jathedars”.

Lack of clarity on Jathedars’ appointment/removal

The SGPC, formed on November 15, 1920, during the colonial era for administration and overall management of gurdwaras, has ‘by default’ assumed the authority to appoint or remove the Jathedars. Prior to this, the Jathedars were appointed by the Sarbat Khalsa, a biannual deliberative assembly of the Sikhs.

The Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, is also silent over the procedure and devoid of the term ‘Jathedar’. Rather it refers to a ‘head minister’, a term interpreted as head granthi, not the ‘Jathedar’.

SAD-SGPC intertwined relationship

The SAD came into existence on December 14, 1920, with a view to act as a political task force to counter the interference of corrupt mahants controlled by the British administration in gurdwara affairs. The SGPC General House consisted of 191 members, including 170 elected ones. The SAD always intended to have control over the SGPC. Given the different factions of the SAD, there is a saying that “the party which has control over the SGPC” is known as the true party representing the Sikh Panth.

SAD domination over SGPC

The SAD dominated the SGPC in the 1960s and 1970s. The party had lost control when Gurcharan Singh Tohra came into being as SGPC president in 1973 and remained on the post for 27 years.

During the 1990s, when Parkash Singh Badal led the SAD and Tohra headed the SGPC, there was often a tiff between the two over Sikh affairs and appointment of Jathedars.

After Tohra’s demise, the Badals established their unbeatable dominance. The Takht Jathedars, who did not fit into the bracket of the SAD, were shown the door. On every such occasion, the move would be criticised, yet the SGPC shied away from addressing the concern.

SGPC announces to frame policy matters on Takht Jathedars

Facing flak over the unceremonious removal of jathedars, the SGPC has announced to frame policy matters on the appointment, jurisdiction and relieving of Takht Jathedars.

The SGPC has appealed to all Sikh organisations, including Damdami Taksal, Nihang Singh jathebandis, global Sikh institutions, Singh Sabhas, diwans, societies, scholars and intellectuals residing in India and abroad, to send their suggestions either in person or through the official email info@sgpc.net and WhatsApp number 7710136200 by April 20.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said a ‘fresh’ panel of experts would be constituted shortly that would frame the norms for Takht Jathedars. “Before that, we have invited suggestions that would help us frame a comprehensive policy on Takht Jathedars”, he said.

Dhami also hinted to appoint ‘regular’ Jathedars following the principle of ‘one person, one position’. This implies that granting the ‘officiating’ or ‘additional’ charge of Takht would be omitted in future.

Not a new move

Notably, on March 29, 2000, then Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, after his appointment in place of Giani Puran Singh, had instructed the SGPC to lay down the procedure for Takht Jathedars, but the SGPC ignored his call.

In January 2015, the SGPC had formed a panel to set up rules, soon after the dismissal of then Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, who had favoured the original Nanakshahi calendar. The panel members included Balwant Singh Dhillon, former Director of the Centre on Study in Guru Granth Sahib, Punjabi University; Prof Jaspal Singh, a former Vice-Chancellor; Kirpal Singh, a Sikh historian; Prithipal Singh Kapur, former pro- Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University; and Balkar Singh, a Patiala-based historian. Then SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh was appointed co-ordinator.

Dalmegh Singh said that except for one meeting that was held at Anandpur Sahib, where it was decided to invite suggestions from intellectuals through e-mail, no follow-up was made.

SGPC has direct control over three Takhts

Once finalised, it would be implemented for the jathedars of two other Takhts — Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib. SGPC has little control over the remaining two Takhts — Patna Sahib in Patna and Hazoor Sahib at Nanded in Maharashtra — located outside Punjab. Each of these Takhts is managed by its own separate committee, which appoints the respective jathedars, though taking the Centre Government into loop. This process has, however, faced criticism.

Way forward

Sikh scholar Dr Anurag Singh, who had submitted a draft on Jathedars’ policy in 2015 to the SGPC, said that the ‘thumbnail’ has to be that there should be no bar on the service span of Takht Jathedars, until unless it was necessitated due to unforeseen circumstances.

“Jathedar has to be there for life or till his health allows. SGPC could never treat the Takhts as a private company which should limit the appointment, service span and dismiss its Jathedars if they do not fit into its bracket,” he said.

Dr Singh suggested that to put the Jathedars free from the clutches of the SGPC, a dedicated fund has to be created out of contributions from key global Sikh organisations which could shoulder the responsibility of bearing the life time living expense of the Jathedars.

Former Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Giani Kewal Singh contradicted the SGPC’s claims of being the sole authority to appoint or remove the Jathedars, citing the Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925.

“The time has changed. Now, the Sikhs have spread in all parts of the globe. An independent general house comprising a global representation has to be constituted which could take decisions without any influence. Then, there should be a lower house and upper house which could scrutinise the credentials of the person who was supposed to be given the service of Takht”, he said.

He advocated that instead of appointing a ‘raagi’ or ‘pracharak’, a ‘Gursikh’ who possessed global acclaimed qualification could fit better for the post of Jathedar, subject to the condition that he was dedicated to Sri Guru Granth Sahib and follow the principle of ‘Miri-Piri’, a Sikh doctrine of religion and politics. “He could be a doctor, an engineer, philosopher or a teacher,” added Dr Singh.

Takht heads removed unceremoniously in the past

April 2017: Giani Gurmukh Singh removed as Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar after he spoke against the alleged political interference in Panthic decisions, especially pardon to Dera Sirsa head.

January 2015: Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh sacked from the post of Jathedar, Takht Damdama Sahib, for supporting the original Nanakshahi calendar, which did not go down well with the SAD.

August 2008: Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti removed from the post of Jathedar, Akal Takht, after he refused to be lenient in the Dera Sacha Sauda case.

March 2000: Giani Puran Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht, sacked after he excommunicated then SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur.

February 1999: Bhai Ranjit Singh, Jathedar, Akal Takht, removed for supporting then SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who was having differences with Parkash Singh Badal.

Amritsar