SGPC ‘reluctant’ to give full charge to Gurmukh as Takht head granthi
AMRITSAR:EVEN as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has reinstated Giani Gurmukh Singh as head granthi (Sikh priest) of the Akal Takht, it is apparently reluctant to give him full charge amid resentment by Sikh organisations against the move.
Also, Giani Malkit Singh, who had replaced Gurmukh Singh after the latter was removed when he alleged that the Badals pressurised the Sikh clergy led by Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh in 2015 to grant pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a blasphemy incident, continues to perform duties as head granthi.
Gurmukh Singh, who was acting jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib besides being the Akal Takht head granthi, was transferred to a historic gurdwara in Haryana.
While SGPC officials had said Malkit Singh was given the charge of granthi of the Golden Temple, he also takes care of affairs at the Akal Takht. Gurmukh Singh is rarely seen performing his duties in the morning.
Even Gurmukh Singh has been giving all the functions at the Takht a miss.
When asked to clarify on the issue, the Akal Takht jathedar said, “Giani Malkit Singh is serving as head granthi as per maryada. As per norms, there cannot be two head granthis at one time. I don’t know what is going on.”
Gurmukh Singh was reinstated as Akal Takht head granthi on August 3 this year a couple of days before his younger brother Himmat Singh backtracked his statement against the Badals he had given to the Justice Ranjit Singh commission constituted to probe sacrilege and Behbal Kalan firing incidents.
Himmat Singh had recorded his statement before the panel in December 2017.