Chandigarh, Oct 17 (PTI) A day after Giani Harpreet Singh announced to quit the post of the jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Thursday said he has rejected his resignation.
In a statement, Dhami said the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has always respected the jathedars of the takhts and will always continue to do so.
He said the services rendered by Giani Harpreet Singh at Takht Damdama Sahib and Akal Takht Sahib have been commendable and the community needs his services in future also.
Dhami appealed to Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to continue his services.
Takht Damdama Sahib is one of the five takhts or seat of temporal authority of Sikhs and it is located in Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district.
Giani Harpreet Singh on Wednesday announced to resign from the post of the jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib after accusing former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesperson Virsa Singh Valtoha for “targeting” him and his family.
Giani Harpreet Singh had accused Valtoha of targeting him by continuously indulging in his “character assassination”.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh had also come out in support of Giani Harpreet Singh and had issued a directive to the SGPC not to accept his resignation, otherwise he would also resign from his position.
Giani Harpreet Singh had announced his resignation a day after the Akal Takht Jathedar issued directives to expel Valtoha from the SAD after finding him “guilty of character assassination” of the Sikh clergy.
SGPC chief Dhami on Thursday said the community is currently going through a critical period, as “anti-Panth” forces are constantly targeting the Sikh institutions.
In such a time, it is the common responsibility of all to avoid any dispute and work for the greater interests of the community, he said.
“The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and anti-Panth forces are already moving ahead with the intention of breaking the Sikh institutions. An example is formation of a separate Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee after breaking the SGPC and direct interference of the government in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, besides the interference in the managements of Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Nanded and Takht Sri Harmandar Ji Patna Sahib,” alleged Dhami.
He said it is not right to get into any controversy for the strength of the community’s institutions.
Dhami said the jathedar of Akal Takht has already ordered the organisations not to make any statement against each other with regards to the ongoing matter. He also appealed to the leaders on behalf of the SGPC against making statements which hurt the honour of Sikh institutions and community.
On Tuesday, the jathedar of the Akal Takht had directed SAD’s working president Balwinder Singh Bhunder through an edict to expel Valtoha from the party within 24 hours and terminate his membership for 10 years.
The Akal Takht jathedar had taken action against Valtoha during an emergency meeting on Tuesday.
Following the directive, Valtoha on Tuesday resigned from the SAD.
Valtoha was directed to produce proof to back his allegation that the jathedars are under pressure of the BJP-RSS and some others in matters pertaining to SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Giani Raghbir Singh had also alleged that Valtoha had asked him not to take any decision against Sukhbir.
Valtoha had also questioned the delay by the Sikh clergy in announcing the ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) to the SAD chief.
On August 30, the Akal Takht had declared Sukhbir as ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) for the “mistakes” committed by his party’s government from 2007 to 2017. PTI CHS KSS KSS
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.