Pardon to dera head continues to put Takht, SGPC in a spot

AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S G PC) has landed in a fix as various Sikh segments have started raising the demand that thegu rdwar a body withdraw its“resolution” of 2015 to endorse the move of the clergy to pardon Dera Sac ha Saud a chief G ur meet Ram Rahim Singh for his act of imitating Gur Gobind Singh in 2007.

Even as Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh later revoked the pardon after stiff opposition from the Sikh masses, the row refuses to died own, particularly now when the der ahead has been sentenced to 20 years in jail in a rape case. It must be recalled that SGPC’s general house was suspended at the time as Supreme Court was hearing the case of voting right for Sehajdharis. The then SGPC chief Av tar Sing hM akk ar had called a meet to justify the move.

After aC BI court convicted the dera head last month, SGPC member Amrik Singh said his conviction has “maligned the image of Sikh temporal seats as well as the SGPC, which had spa red him ”. He told HT :“Sang at (masses) started hating SGPC members after that. The officebearers should revoke there solution .” Hew rot et oS G PC chief Ki rpal Singh Ba dun g ar, who told HT: “I’ll go to my office on September 9, read it, and consider.”

Also, former Panj Pyaras — five beloved ones of Guru—who were sacked for summoning heads of temporal seats over the pardon, raised the issue: “It is an irony that the SGPC is still in slumber and not revoked there solution ,” sai dB hai MajorS ingh, Satnam Singh Khanda, Mangal Singh, Tar lo k Sing hand Sat nam Singh in a joint statement.

S GP C general secretary A marjit Chaw las aid ,“I cannot alone pass any comment. A decision can be rethought collectively.”

Notably, the S GP Chad issued newspaper ads justifying the pardon. Activist Bald ev Singh Sirsa has sought expense details through RTI.