Bibi Jagir Kaur, a former president of the SGPC, and her supporters at Akal Takht, Amritsar, after the bhog ceremony of Akhand Path on Sunday. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

Amritsar, August 5
Former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur today criticised appointment of Giani Puran Singh as Head Granthi of the Golden Temple and succeeded in getting the support of 43 SGPC members including Mr Hardalbir Singh Shah, former general secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, who had assembled for the bhog ceremony at Akal Takht. 

Though Bibi Jagir Kaur claimed that the bhog of Akhand Path was held for the “high spirits” of the Panth. Her supporters informed that the occasion was apparently the launching of campaign for the post of president Shiromani Committee, election for which would be held before November 30. Bibi Jagir Kaur too admitted that she was ready to “serve as president” again if the party high command would direct her to do so. Bibi Jagir Kaur also held a closed door meeting in the information office of the SGPC.

Without naming anyone, Bibi Jagir Kaur alleged that the appointment of Giani Puran Singh who had refused to respond to the charge sheet served by the SGPC executive committee was gross violation of SGPC bylaws. She said relaxation to Giani Puran Singh from attending meetings of Sikh clergy at Akal Takht was gross violation of the established 'maryada' (Sikh code of conduct) of Akal Takht. Meetings of the Sikh high priests without the participation of head granthi, Golden Temple were invalid.

Giani Puran Singh as Jathedar Akal Takht had excommunicated Bibi Jagir Kaur from the Sikh Panth through a “hukamnama” (edict) issued from Guna (Maharashtra) which she had never accepted. Bibi Jagir Kaur said if Giani Puran Singh had been justifying the ‘controversial’ edict as to why he had been refusing to accept the directives of his successor Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti for attending the meetings of Sikh clergy?

Giani Puran Singh, who was suspended as granthi Golden Temple and sacked as Jathedar, Akal Takht by pro-Bibi Jagir Kaur executive committee members on March 28 last year was appointed head granthi by Mr Talwandi, few days after Mr Talwandi took over as SGPC chief. Later, addressing a religious function at Fatehgarh Sahib. Mr Talwandi admitted that he had committed a ‘blunder’ with the appointment of Giani Puran Singh, however, no corrective measures were taken by him in this regard.

Bibi Jagir Kaur said that the issue of appointment of Giani Puran Singh would be raised in the ensuing general house meeting of the SGPC. The concept of ‘miri-piri’ could not be completed without the presence of head granthi golden temple at the meetings of Akal Takht. She said most of the SGPC members were sore at over the absence of Giani Puran Singh from the meetings of Sikh clergy since his appointment in December last year. She said it was a matter of concern that Giani Puran Singh was appointed head granthi by ignoring his senior Giani Charan Singh. Answering a question on the denigration of Sikh institutions, Bibi Jagir Kaur said that “all of us are responsible for the same”.

On the demotions of SGPC employees promoted during her tenure as president, Bibi Jagir Kaur said that one should avoid witch hunt. She said the SGPC was not the institution where actions should be taken to settle personal scores. Replying to another question, Bibi Jagir Kaur said that preaching of faith was not being done with right direction for which ‘everybody’ was responsible. When asked about the open letter written by Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar Takht Damdama Sahib in the name of SGPC members in which he had alleged that many families of the SGPC members were ‘patit’ (apostate). Bibi Jagir Kaur said that there was need to understand the gravity of the situation.

Without naming Mr Talwandi, Bibi Jagir Kaur said that the controversial ‘Path Bodh’ (understanding of ‘bani’) function held at Talwandi Sabo by the Jatha Bhinderan was gross violation of the ‘Maryada’ published by the SGPC and approved by Akal Takht. “Path Bodh” was held at the behest of Mr Talwandi.

In another statement, Bibi Jagir Kaur said that the general elections to the SGPC should be held as per the amendment of a voter of Sikh, passed by the general house of the SGPC. The SGPC’s general house has resolved to delete the word sehajdhari from the definition of Sikh voter. She said Mr Parkash Singh Badal, president SAD, was seized of the matter and would get the amendment passed by the central government as per the aspirations of the “Sikh Sangat”.