Chandigarh : he North American Punjabi Association on Saturday condemned the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s decision to remove two “esteemed” jathedars from their “sacred positions”.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday removed Giani Raghbir Singh from the post of Akal Takht jathedar and Giani Sultan Singh as jathedar of the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib.
The Akal Takht in Amritsar and the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib of Rupanagar district are two of the five seats of temporal authority in Sikhism.
Expressing “deep concern and disappointment”, the association called the dismissals of the jathedars (head priests) a “blatant act of vengeance” by the SGPC leadership.
Association president Satnam Singh Chahal said the decision reflected the undue influence and power of a select few individuals within the SGPC’s working committee, further jeopardising the sanctity of these prestigious positions.
“These two jathedars held some of the highest spiritual roles in the Sikh community and their removal signifies that individuals in these positions are now subject to the whims of a few within the SGPC,” Chahal said.
“This has sparked great resentment and concern among the Sikh diaspora worldwide, especially those in North America,” he added.
Chahal emphasised the historical and spiritual significance of the Akal Takht and the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib.
These institutions carry immense responsibility for the faith and its followers, and their leadership should not be swayed by political motives, he said.
“This is an affront to the values of Sikhism and the centuries-old principles upon which the Sikh ‘panth (community)’ is built. The removal of these distinguished jathedars undermines the very foundation of the Sikh faith,” Chahal said.
The association called for the restoration of Giani Raghbir Singh and Giani Sultan Singh to their respective positions and urged the SGPC to act in accordance with the will of the Sikh community, focusing on unity and spirituality rather than divisive actions that harm the integrity of Sikh institutions.