SGPC defends Akal Takht jathedar for felicitating Shah

Feb 16,2022

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Tuesday defended Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh for felicitating Union home minister Amit Shah during his visit to the Golden Temple.

After addressing an election rally in Amritsar, Shah visited the holiest Sikh shrine along with Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Sunday. He also paid obeisance at the Akal Takht, following which he had a closed-door meeting with the jathedar.

After the pictures showing the jathedar honouring him with ‘siropa’ and replica of the Golden Temple, the Sikh segments criticised him, holding the BJP-led government in Centre responsible for the deaths of 700 agitating farmers. Notably, the SGPC staff also honoured him.

After the row, the SGPC issued a statement in this regard. “Giving siropa to the Union home minister on his visit to Sri Harmandar Sahib, Sri Amritsar, comes out of protocol followed to respect incumbent ministers of the country by SGPC or jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib. Guru’s house doesn’t discriminate & he visited as devotee,” reads the statement.

It further reads: “The SGPC stands firmly with farmers and will continue its unconditional support. What is wrong if the jathedar raised several-long pending key Sikh issues before the Union home minister when he came to meet him? Stop vilifying Sikh institutions.”