Amritsar : The top Sikh clergy was at loggerheads over the issue of pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, with five high priests including the Jathedar Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh on Wednesday being summoned by the ‘Panj Pyaras’ (five beloved religious preachers), inviting their suspension by the SGPC.
In an unprecedented move, the ‘Panj Pyaras’ — Bhai Satnam Singh, Bhai Mangal Singh, Bhai Major Singh, Bhai Satnam Singh and Bhai Tarlok Singh — passed the ‘Gurmata’ (edict) at a meeting to summon the Jathedars of five Takhts (seats of sikh religion) to explain the pardon given to Ram Rahim.
Besides Giani Gurbachan Singh, the summons was issued for 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.
All the five Jathedars of different Takhts, including jathedar of Akal Takht — the highest temporal seat of Sikhs — were asked to appear in person before the ‘Panj Pyaras’ at Akal Takht on October 23 at 10am. This is the first time in the Sikh history that the Jathedars of five Takhts were summoned.
However, soon after, SGPC (Shriomani Gurdwara Pharbandhak Committee), under whose domain
the five Takhts fall, suspended all the ‘Panj Pyaras’ for daring to issue the summons.
The suspension order was issued by SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar who also suspended two of their key Secretaries Roop Singh and Manjit Singh for dereliction in their administrative duties besides four other employees of the SGPC.
Makkar said that some employees of the SGPC had on Tuesday raised slogans against Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar at Gurdwara Shri Manji Sahib Diwan Hall. He said that four employees namely Bhai Karaj Singh Jathedar Raagi, Bhai Harcharan Singh Khalsa Jathedar Raagi, Bhai Harpal Singh Supervisor and Bhai Surjit Singh Parcharak have also been suspended for the act.
Makkar said the decision of the ‘Panj Pyaras’ was against the Sikh tenets and rules and an attempt to divide the community which could not be tolerated. He said the headquarters of three suspended ‘Panj Pyaras’ would be Uttar Pardesh Sikh Mission at Hapur and the rest of the two would be Sikh Mission, Kurukshetra (Haryana).
