Amid jathedars’ removal row, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj takes charge of Takht Kesgarh Sahib
After nihangs threatened to disrupt ceremony scheduled for 10am at Anandpur Sahib, installation of the new jathedar, who has also been given the additional charge of the acting jathedar of Akal Takht, was carried out at 2.45am on Monday.
After nihang outfits threatened to disrupt the ceremony and Sikh organisations decided to boycott it, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) installed Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, 40, as the jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Sri Anandpur Sahib in the presence of the ‘Panj Pyare (five beloved ones of the Guru)’ of the Akal Takht at 2.45am, seven hours before schedule, on Monday. The new jathedar has also been given the additional charge of the acting jathedar of Akal Takht in Amritsar, the highest Sikh temporal seat.
The ceremony was to be held at 10am on Monday and invites had been sent to Sikh organisations, sects and seminaries. However, after the controversial removal of Giani Raghbir Singh as the Akal Takht jathedar and Giani Sultan Singh as Takht Kesgarh Sahib jathedar on March 7, Shiromani Panth Akali Budha Dal chief Baba Balbir Singh on behalf all major Nihang outfits, including Dal Panth Baba Bidhi Chand Sursingh, Misl Shaheedan Tarna Dal Baba Bakala, Tarn Dal Harya Belan and Dashmesh Tarna Dal, threatened to disrupt the installation ceremony.
The nihangs had started gathering at Sri Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district of Punjab from Sunday evening to scuttle the ceremony, leaving the SGPC in a fix as the jathedar’s installation is necessary before the Hola Mohalla festival that formally started at midnight. Several Sikh organisations, including the Damdami Taksal, Kar Sewa groups and the Takht Patna Sahib managing committee, boycotted the ceremony.
The SGPC officials secretly brought the newly appointed jathedar to Takht Kesgarh Sahib at 2.45am and made him assume charge, cancelling the coronation ceremony that normally sees a big Panthic (Sikh community) gathering.
Since Giani Raghbir Singh, who continues to serve as the head granthi (priest) of Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple), Amritsar, skipped the event, the SGPC executive committee made the Panj Pyare present Giani Gargaj the traditional dastar (turban). SGPC secretary Partap Singh and Takht Kesgarh Sahib manager Malkit Singh also presented turbans in his honour. The granthis of Takht Kesgarh Sahib honoured him with siropas (robe of honour). Besides the ardas (prayer), no other rituals were performed on the occasion.
No office-bearer or member of the SGPC was present amid the growing opposition against the removal of the jathedars. SGPC chief secretary Kulwant Singh Manan, who disassociated himself from the SGPC executive committee’s resolution of removing the jathedars, stayed away.
Urges Sikhs to unite in challenging time
Giani Gargaj called upon the Sikh community to unite under one Nishan Sahib in the light of the current Panthic situation. He expressed gratitude to the 10 Sikh Gurus and Guru Granth Sahib for bestowing upon him the honour of serving Takht. “I humbly acknowledge the privilege of receiving this sacred responsibility despite being born into a simple Sikh family,” he said. Reflecting on his journey, he shared that he began his life as a Pathi before dedicating himself to religious preaching, a commitment he vowed to continue in service of the Guru’s Panth.
On the religious, social, and political challenges facing the Panth, the newly appointed acting Akal Takht jathedar highlighted that many issues stem from a disconnect with the Guru’s teachings. He lamented the growing religious disunity among Sikhs, emphasising that internal divisions and ideological differences have created significant rifts. He criticised the lack of cohesive religious and political leadership, which has led to a culture of undermining one another instead of resolving issues collectively. “In these difficult times,” he said, “There is an urgent need to establish platforms for dialogue based on mutual trust in the Guru.”
Politically, he said, that the Sikh community faces significant challenges. On one hand, an atmosphere of fear has been created among minorities in the country; on the other, political power is being wielded against Sikhs through black laws and stringent legal provisions such as UAPA and NSA, leading to prolonged incarceration of Sikh youngsters. He condemned the government’s failure to deliver justice even 40 years after the 1984 Sikh massacre. Due to the fragmentation of Sikh political influence, long-imprisoned Sikh prisoners are denied bail, while anti-Sikh dera (sect) elements are given undue privileges.
Giani Gargaj expressed concern over the demographic and political shifts in Punjab. He warned that the Sikh population is being forced to migrate, while a deliberate effort is underway to make Sikhs a minority in Punjab by settling large numbers of non-Punjabi people. He criticised Punjab’s political leadership for prioritising the votes of certain deras and immigrant communities over the needs of the state’s Sikh population, attributing this to the deep divisions within the community.
Calls for reconnecting to Sikhi
On the social front, he lamented challenges facing Sikh society, particularly the drug problem. He accused successive governments of failing to curb the drug trade, noting that, rather than declining, substance abuse has continued to rise, resulting in the deaths of thousands of youngsters. He attributed this crisis to the erosion of religious values due to materialism and emphasised that the only remedy lies in reconnecting with Sikhi. Expressing concern over religious conversions, he stressed the need for a robust grassroots-level religious awareness and preaching campaign. He pledged to launch an effective outreach initiative with Sikh scholars, sect leaders, and intellectuals.
He said while the edicts of December 2 included a directive for Panthic unity, neither of the involved parties has taken any initiative toward its implementation. Moving forward, he said, the claims of parties concerned will be reviewed to ensure that the edicts are acted upon.
Finally, congratulating the Sikh community on the festival of Hola Mohalla, he urged Sikh youngsters to uphold the values of devotion, service and sacrifice as laid down by Guru Gobind Singh. He appealed to Patit Sikh (with shorn hair) youngsters to honour the spirit of Sri Anandpur Sahib by wearing turbans instead of tying handkerchiefs.
