SGPC reinstates ‘Panj Piaras’ suspended ‘ for summoning Takht Jathedars

SGPC executive member Karnail Singh Panjoli said “the Jathedars of five Takhts should resign as the Sikh community was hurt by their decision of pardoning the Dera chief”.

Following the pardon, there were clear signs of unrest in the Sikh community and the SGPC, controlled by SAD, with dissenting voices emerging from all over the State and numerous Sikh organisations-hardliners as well as the liberals.

The Panj Payare, who have been current on the Akal Takhat, pronounced their “Gurmatta” (a decision handed in a council presided by Guru or with recommendation of Guru) on Friday after the jathedars failed to seem earlier than the Akal Takht (the very best temporal seat of the Sikhs). President Avtar Singh Makkar said they would contemplate over issues created by suspended Panj Pyaras.

Notably, it had happened first time in the history of Sikh community when sitting Jathedars of Takhts Authority and working was challenged and questioned. “The Panj Pyaras have violated laid down religious traditions and acted on their own”, Makkar said.

As per an Indian Express report, one of the Panj Pyaras, Satnam Singh, said that their suspension was not valid as no service rules applied to them.

“After their reinstatement, the “Panj Payaras” will decide the fate of dharna and all the Sikh protesters will follow their decision in view of their supremacy in the Panth”. The SGPC President had rejected the directions of Panj Piaras saying that they are petty employees of SGPC and they have no right to issue such orders. Sikh scholars cite the incident of 1699 when the tenth and last master, Guru Gobind Singh obeyed the directions of the Panj Pyaras to leave Anandpur Sahib after the Mughal army surrounded the town.

In an unprecedented move, the Panj Pyaras of the Akal Takht had yesterday asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to remove the Jathedars of five Takhts after they failed to turn up in the Golden Temple complex to explain their flip-flop on the pardon to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Panj Pyaras who perform the “amrit sanchar” (baptism ceremony) had summoned Giani Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Iqbal Singh Jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib, Giani Mal Singh Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Gurmukh Singh, Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib and Giani Ram Singh Dhoopia, of Takht Hazoor Sahib, Nanded.

But the five head priests refused the summons and did not appear before the Panj Pyaras — Satnam Singh Khanda, Tirlok Singh, Mangal Singh, Satnam Singh and Major Singh on October 23.