In a move that is expected to aggravate the crisis in the Sikh religious establishment, the Akal Takht Panj Pyaras today passed a resolution demanding the resignation of the five takht heads even as the SGPC, their appointing authority, claimed the suspended employees lacked powers to take any such decision.
None of the summoned high priests showed up to explain their decision to pardon the Dera chief for his act of imitating Guru Gobind Singh in 2007. Following an outcry, the pardon was revoked.
It “reached a flashpoint when they went on to take decisions which further humiliated the Sikhs… they failed to represent the Sikh community… the community is seeking their resignations,” the resolution stated, directing the SGPC executive committee to “terminate all kinds of services of chiefs of all five Takhts of the Sikhs”.
On Wednesday, hours after the high priests were summoned, the SGPC said the decision of the Panj Pyaras was “against traditions of the Akal Takht and service rules” and “aimed at causing conflict and division” in the community.
Announcing their suspension, the SGPC directed three Panj Pyaras to move to the Sikh mission in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh and two to the Sikh mission in Kurukshetra, Haryana.
Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission head MS Brar backed the SGPC president: “An employee who has been suspended has no right to perform his official duty... They (Panj Pyaras) must wait till their suspension is revoked by the SGPC.”
One of the Panj Pyaras, Satnam Singh, however, refused to agree with Makkar and Brar: “The Sikh tenets suggest the Panj Pyaras, who represent Akal Takht, cannot be suspended by any committee or agency. They have the right to intervene in religious matters and question the takht heads whenever a critical situation arises.”
“We demand immediate resignation of the five jathedars who failed to present their side before Akal Takht over the controversial pardon to the Sacha Sauda chief. Neither did they appear themselves nor did they send any of their representatives,” said Satnam.
On Friday, protests over the alleged desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib took up the case of two brothers arrested by police and sought the reinstatement of the Panj Pyaras.
In Phagwara, protesters made a 500m-long human chain on National Highway-1 and were joined by BSP activists. In Hoshiarpur, a protest march was led by Baba Sewa Singh, considered close to Chief Minister Parkas Singh Badal. In Gurdaspur’s Kahnuwan area, protesters surrounded the house of SAD leader and former minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan.
The districts of Faridkot, Barnala, Sangrur and Ferozepur too reported several protests while Ludhiana and Moga remained relatively quiet. In Moga, the main chowk was blocked for three hours.
