Alleging misbehaviour, ragis open front against Golden Temple head granthi

AMRITSAR: The ragis of the Golden Temple have upped the ante against the shrine’s head granthi for his alleged misbehavior towards them.

Around two-dozen ragis made the allegations during a press conference at Mehma Pandoori village on Monday.

The ragis said they were forced to go public on the issue as the Akal Takht failed to act on their complaint against head granthi Giani Jagtar Singh for about two weeks. “Around 15 days ago, we had approached the Akal Takht against the attitude of the head granthi towards the ragis. We didn’t disclose the matter in public then, keeping in mind the maryada. But we are forced to rake up the issue now as the excesses of the head granthi are rising day by day,” said Bhai Onkar Singh, president of Shiromani

Ragi Sabha.

Accompanied by Bhai Lakhwinder Singh, Bhai Gurdev Singh, Bhai Satinderjit Singh, Bhai Shokeen Singh and other prominent ragis, he said, “We are living a terrible life due to the head granthi’s behavior.”

He alleged that the head granthi has not only been “misbehaving” with the ragis in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib, but also using “abusive” language outside the sanctum sanctorum.

He said, “The head granthi has also been dictating ragis how to sing hymns as he wished. Sometimes, he interrupts unnecessarily.”

“We are working as ragis for the last two to three decades, and have not seen such a behavior from a head granthi in our lives.” He said those who oppose the “rude behaviour” of the headgranthi, face “cut” in their duties. “Even, we have been complaining to the senior authorities of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), but to no avail,” he added.

He said now they want justice from the “sangat’s court”, as their several attempts to the authorities concerned have fallen on deaf ears.

The head granthi, however, didn’t respond to the calls.

SAY THEY HAD TO GO PUBLIC AS NEITHER AKAL TAKHT NOR SGPC AUTHORITIES ACTED AGAINST ON THE COMPLAINT