Time for reforms in Sikh institutional governance

The recent summary removal of jathedars of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib by the executive committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has sparked a significant controversy within Panthic circles.

- KBS Sidhu

What makes this decision particularly contentious is that the criticism is not limited to the usual detractors of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

Key Sikh institutions, such as the Damdami Taksal and the Budha Dal, have strongly opposed not just the removal but also the manner in which the new jathedar, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, was anointed in the early hours of March 10. The breach of maryada (religious protocol) has further compounded the controversy, raising fundamental questions about the legitimacy of the process.

Historical context: Akal Takht and SGPC's role The ongoing tussle between the SGPC and the head priest of Akal Takht is not new. The Akal Takht, as the supreme temporal authority of the Sikhs, was established in 1606 by the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib. The institution predates the SGPC by more than three centuries. Historically, the role of the jathedar was subservient to that of the Sikh Gurus, who were the supreme spiritual and temporal authorities of the Sikh faith.

The SGPC, a statutory body formed under colonial rule, has assumed the authority to appoint and remove jathedars over the years. However, the 1925 Sikh Gurdwaras Act does not explicitly mention the term jathedar. Instead, it refers to a "head minister", a term now increasingly interpreted as referring to the head granthi rather than the jathedar of Akal Takht.