Amritsar: After the acting jathedars here last month (31st March) declared 39 political leaders from Punjab guilty for seeking electoral support from the controversial Dera Sauda Siras during the Punjab assembly election, the SGPC backed Jathedars while following the suit has summoned 44 political leaders in the same case and has asked them to appear before them on 17th April 2017, Both Badal father son duo are kept out of its domain.
As reported by the media among the 44 political leaders identified by the SGPC backed Jathedars 29 visited the Sirsa dera, while 15 participated at meetings outside the dera. On the basis of a report submitted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) panel, 29 politicians from the Akali Dal (Badal), 14 from the Congress and one Aam Aadmi Party leader violated the Sri Akal Takht Sahib’s 2007 “hukumnama” (edict) which had excommunicated dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
Gaini Gurbachan Singh (centre) announcing the decision of the five Sikh high priests in Amritsar on Tuesday. HT Photo
The decision was announced by Gaini Gurbachan Singh after a four hour long meeting with his colleagues. “They will face action as prescribed in the Sikh maryada,”claimed Giyani Gurbachan Singh.
The row erupted after the Dera Sauda Sirsa decided to support the Akali Dal (Badal) in the February 4 assembly elections. The move kicked up a storm when Badal Dal candidates from nine constituencies of Bathinda and Mansa districts attended a meeting organised by the dera’s religious wing at a banquet hall in Bathinda, notes Hindustan Times (HT).
During the concluding days of election campaigning the Akali Dal (Badal) in lieu for electoral gains, announced to facilitate dera “naam charchas” in Punjab, in an open defiance of the Shri Akal Takht Sahib’s 2007 edict that Sikhs must boycott the Dera Sauda Sirsa.
It was on February 6th when the SGPC constituted a three-member probe committee comprising SGPC senior vice president Baldev Singh Kaimpur, general secretary Amarjit Singh Chawla and executive committee member Gurcharan Singh Garewal. The panel submitted its report on March 6.
The Dera head last held a naam charcha in Punjab in May 2007 at Salabtpura village in Bathinda, where he courted controversy by wearing attire similar to that of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Then, the Akal Takht Sahib issued a “hukamnama” against the Dera head and accused him of blasphemy, besides calling upon Sikhs for his social boycott. This led to violence in different parts of state between Sikhs and Dera followers.