PATIALA, Punjab—In it’s executive meet on September 30 at Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib (Patiala), the apex Sikh body SGPC, de-recognized the investigation commission led by Justice Ranjit Singh, which was appointed by the Congress led Punjab government to probe state-wide ‘beadbi’ (desecration) incidents, in 2015. The commission was appointed by Captain Amarinder Singh in April this year after annulling the report of Justice Zora Singh.
The commission had issued notices to the SGPC appointed Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh and SGPC President, Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar, to appear before them. Criticizing the commission for challenging the supremacy of Sri Akal Takht Sahib by summoning the Jathedar and President, the SGPC alleged that Justice Ranjit Singh was doing so at the behest of Congress.
Interacting with media, Badungar said that the SGPC wouldn’t tolerate anyone challenging the supremacy of Sikh institutions. He added that the summoning Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to appear before an individual commission was totally against Sikh tenets and Sikh code of conduct.
Recalling the 1984’s Amritsar massacre and the 1984 Sikh genocide, Prof. Badungar said that the Congress has always tried to undermine the supremacy of Sikh institutions directly or indirectly but now the SGPC won’t let anyone to challenge the supremacy of Sikh institutions.
Head of Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal, Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma hailed the SGPC’s stance of de-recognizing the commission.
Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma has said that the SGPC had come into existence after a long battle and sacrifices of Sikh freedom fighters. He has said that the SGPC was highly respectable among Sikh masses and no commission holds any right to summon SGPC officials.
In a press release on October 1, Captain Amarinder Singh said that the SGPC President ought to support the investigation commission but he is creating hurdles instead. He added that the SGPC should welcome the proceedings of the investigation commission, instead of taking a negative approach towards it.
The AAP legislator HS Phoolka has also criticized the SGPC for de-recognizing the commission.
