Amritsar: Giani Gargaj calls meeting of Sikh clergy today

Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj has called a meeting of Sikh clergy at the secretariat of the highest Sikh temporal seat on Tuesday (i.e. April 8), said a spokesperson on Monday.

This will be the first meeting of the Sikh clergy post the December 2 edict that awarded tankhah (religious punishment) to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, including Sukhbir Singh Badal for the mistakes committed by the party and its government from 2007 to 2017, besides revoking “Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum” conferred on former party patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and calling for revamp of the party and leadership change.

As per the Takht spokesperson, the meeting will be held to discuss panthic, social and religious issues related to Khalsa Foundation Day which is celebrated on Visakhi.

He called this a routine meeting and said no other issue would be discussed.

Giani Gargaj, who is also jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, after taking charge had announced that a 7-member committee related to part of the December 2 decree could be reviewed in future.

The December 2 decree was pronounced by the then-Sikh clergy led by Giani Raghbir Singh. Weeks after the pronouncement, three jathedars—Giani Raghbir Singh (Akal Takht), Giani Harpreet Singh (Takht Damdama Sahib) and Giani Sultan Singh (Takht Kesgarh Sahib jathedar) who were part of the decree, were removed by the executive panel of the SGPC which is under the control of Sukhbir Singh Badal faction of the SAD.

Giani Gargaj will be the jathedar from Punjab at the meeting as the newly appointed jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Baba Tek Singh Dhanaula has not taken charge.

Due to the controversial removal of the previous jathedars, there is a possibility that two jathedars from two Takhts outside Punjab—Takht Hazur Sahib and Takht Patna Sahib—will not attend the meeting.

To complete the five-member quorum, granthi of Golden Temple and Akal Takht may be called for the meeting.