Amritsar (TIP)- The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday, June 16, appointed Giani Raghbir Singh as the new Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the SGPC executive body that took place here. Giani Harpreet Singh, however, will continue to be the Jathedar of the Takht Damdama Sahib in Bathinda.
Addressing the media here, SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said Giani Harpreet Singh, who was the acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, himself expressed his wish to relinquish the charge.
“At our executive body meeting, we decided that Giani Harpreet Singh will continue to be the Jathedar of the Takht Damdama Sahib,” Dhami said.
Giani Raghbir Singh has been appointed as the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, he added. Giani Harpreet Singh was holding the officiating charge as the Jathedar of the Akal Takht since 2018. He was also holding the regular charge of the Takht Damdama Sahib, another Sikh temporal seat at Talwandi Sabo in Punjab’s Bathinda.
Giani Harpreet Singh’s presence at the engagement event of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha and actress Parineeti Chopra in Delhi had sparked a row last month. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Virsa Singh Valtoha had opposed Singh’s attendance at the event.
Giani Sultan Singh Takht Kesgarh Sahib head
Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) granthi Giani Sultan Singh has been appointed as the jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib. He is said to be close to the chief of a religious dera in the Gurwali locality of Amritsar City, which is known for its proximity to the Badal family.
Giani Raghbir Singh has also been given the additional charge of head granthi of the Golden Temple. Similarly, Giani Sultan Singh will also continue as a granthi at Harmandar Sahib.
Dhami said that the executive panel fully appreciated the services rendered by Giani Harpreet Singh as the acting jathedar of the Akal Takht.
Tag: Giani Harpreet Singh
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Giani Raghbir Singh replaces Giani Harpreet Singh as Akal Takht Jathedar
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Gurbani telecast from Golden Temple: SGPC fails to comply with Akal Takht directive
AMRITSAR (TIP): The SGPC has failed to comply with the directions of the Akal Takht to prepare its Information Technology (IT) wing to facilitate world-wide live telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple ‘within a stipulated time’. Akal Takht Officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had ordered the SGPC to work on the modalities of launching its channel, and written directions were issued on April 8. In response, the SGPC had sought a week to equip its IT wing as cameras, wiring and other relevant infrastructure were to be arranged, but to no avail.
Irked, some SGPC members submitted a complaint with the Takht Secretariat over non-compliance of its directions. A complainant, SGPC executive member Gurpreet Singh Randhawa, said contrary to Takht’s directions, neither could the SGPC start its IT’s web channel nor take steps to stop the controversial private channel from broadcasting Gurbani. Takht had ordered the SGPC to make stopgap arrangements by equipping its existing web channel being run by the IT wing to telecast the Gurbani. Even CM Bhagwant Mann had offered to bear the cost of setting up the infrastructure. Rejecting the offer, SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami had termed it politically motivated. Dhami said a five-member panel was formed to study the feasibility of launching a channel. “It had conducted two meetings. Since it required raising of technical infrastructure, the panel is working on it. It will also look into legal aspects as the SGPC is in a pact with the channel on telecast rights till February 2023. As soon as we receive its report, we will table it in the executive and take further action,” he said.
(Source: TNS)
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To defuse crisis, Centre plans to turn to Akal Takht jathedar
Jalandhar (TIP): With talks deadlocked, the Centre has started roping in heads of religious sects in Punjab to break the impasse on the farm laws.
While Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar met Baba Lakha Singh of Nanaksar Gurdwara on January 7, the BJP is now contemplating involving Giani Harpreet Singh, Akal Takht Jathedar, for mediation between the Centre and protesting farmers. “As negotiations aren’t moving beyond ‘yes’ and ‘no’, we need a third party whom both sides look up to. There has been trust deficit and spiritual leaders can help bridge the gap. We will approach Giani Harpreet Singh — head of the highest temporal seat of Sikhs,” said BJP national spokesperson Kamaljit Soi.
Soi claimed it was tough to come to conclusion on any point with around 40 union leaders, attending talks from the farmers’ side. “It’s terribly cold and even Baba Lakha Singh was of the view that all farmers, particularly women and children, should return home,” he added.
About the proposed mediation, SGPC chief Jagir Kaur said, “Though the ongoing crisis is no way related to religion, it’s up to Giani Harpreet Singh to decide. Moreover, the Centre has a battery of intellectuals who can play mediator.”
BKU (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said by roping in dera heads and priests, the Centre was “trying to play a religious card”. “If we don’t agree to what the Jathedar tells us, they might say we are not even following the Akal Takht diktat. It’s purely a legal matter and we won’t succumb to such tactics,” he said.
Baba Ram Singh, who recently died at the protest site, too was from the Nanaksar sect. Baba Lakha Singh has been running a 24-hour ‘langar’ at Singhu since the protests began on November 25. (Source: The Tribune)