Satkar Committee, Nirankaris have a history of strained ties
AMRITSAR: With police probing the role of the Satkar Committee, a radical Sikh outfit, in the grenade blast at Nirankari Bhawan in Rajasansi on Sunday that killed three people, the organisation has a history of a strained relationship with the sect.
Just a few months ago, the followers of the Nirankari sect had wanted to set up a prayer hall at Tapiala village, in the vicinity of Rajasansi, but could not succeed as the Satkar Committee, along with members of the Damdami Taksal, a Sikh seminary, had opposed it.
They had also carried out a protest march against the proposed move, citing a ‘hukamnama’ (religious edict) that the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, had issued after a 1978 Nirankari-Sikh clash. This ‘hukamnama’, issued after 13 Sikh activists had been killed in the clash, had asked the Sikh community to shun any kind of contact with the sect.
STARTED AS PANELS AT THE BLOCK LEVEL
The Satkar Committees started as block-level bodies to prevent disrespect to the Guru Granth Sahib in 2003 in old Amritsar district (at that time, the area under Tarn Taran district was also part of it).
The founders, usually local Sikh activists, claimed that they had to step in after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the jathedars of the Takhts (the Sikh temporal seats) failed to ensure adequate respect for the Guru Granth Sahib. There were 10-12 of these satkar committees. Last year, these united under the ‘Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee Punjab’, a presidium, with Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts as their stronghold.
STOPS ‘PAATHS’ AT DARGAHS
One of the major activities of the committee is to stop ‘Akhand Paath’ at ‘mazars’ or ‘dargahs’. Referring to the gurbani and the edict of the Akal Takht, they consider the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib at these places for ‘Akhand Paath’ as sacrilege. They are also usually seen ensuring that the Guru is respected in gurdwaras and houses. They also work to check anti-Sikh activities in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib.
“Gradually, the SGPC and the Jathedars stopped paying heed to our complaints that the ‘Maryada’ was not being followed. If we complained to the Akal Takht or the SGPC about sacrilege, the accused approached a politician, usually associated with the SAD. The development forced us to unite on one platform to ensure respect for the Guru on our own,” said Tarlochan Singh Sohal, one of the members of presidium.
The other members of the presidium are Balbir Singh Muchhal, Sukhjit Singh Khose, Manjit Singh Chabhal and Harjinder Singh. Muchhal, from a village with the same name in Amritsar, said they were a twotiered organisation, district and block. “Previously, we held sway in Majha only. Now, we have influence in Kapurthala and Jalandhar districts and Malwa as well,” he added.