Bibi uses SGPC shoulders to shoot at parallel jathedars
AMRITSAR : To counter parallel ‘jathedars’ who summoned her on the basis of a complaint lodged by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, former SGPC president and incumbent member Bibi Jagir Kaur on Sunday called a meeting of SGPC members who demanded action against the “clergy” appointed by radicals.
The meeting, being considered as a show of strength by Jagir Kaur, was organised at Bhai Gurdas Hall near the Golden Temple here.
SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar skipped the meeting.
Jagir Kaur — who is also president of the women wing the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — was summoned by parallel “jathedars” on the charges of forced abortion of her daughter, who was murdered later.
At Sunday’s meeting, a resolution was passed to stop “sacrilegious” activities of the “parallel clergy” appointed at the Sarbat Khalsa (congregation of Sikhs) held by radicals in 2015.
DUMMY JATHEDARS HAVE NO RIGHT TO SUMMON ME: BIBI
Terming the parallel “clergy” as “dummy jathedars”, Jagir Kaur said they have no right to summon her, nor does she recognise them as jathedars.
“The way Sikh maryada is being violated by these so-called jathedars is a matter of serious concern. They are working to damage Sikh institutions at the behest of the ruling Congress party and other anti-panthic forces,” she said. The SGPC members later took out a march from the Bhai Gurdas hall to the Akal Takht and handed over a complaint against parallel clergy to Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh.
The members appealed to the jathedar take serious note of these “anti-Panthic” activities and punish the “dummy jathedars” as per Sikh traditions without any delay. The jathedar assured that an action would be taken after Bandi Chhod Diwas (Diwali). On the charges levelled by Khaira, Jagir Kaur said she would clarify whenever the Akal Takht asks her to do so.
Khaira has demanded that Jagir Kaur be excommunicated by the Akal Takht, on the lines of action against former Akali minister Sucha Singh Langah, who was excommunicated after being booked in a rape case.
KEY MEMBERS ABSENT
Besides Badungar, other key SGPC members, including vicepresident Buta Singh, former president Avtar Singh Makkar and executive member Gurcharan Singh Grewal, also skipped the meeting. Though SGPC officials claimed that more than 65 members attended the meeting to extend their solidarity with Jagir Kaur, sources said the number of members was not more than 35.
CORRECTION
Gurdwara Chhota Ghallughara chief Johar Singh was inadvertently described as ‘former jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib’ in stories published on October 15. The error is regretted.