M A I N   N E W S

Declines comment
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 23
Prof Manjit Singh, who is currently on a religious tour to Ahmedabad in connection with the 400th anniversary of Guru Granth Sahib, has refused to react about his sacking as Jathedar Kesgarh Sahib. His close confidants have alleged that he was ‘punished’ for raising the demand of Sikh women, who had sought ending gender discrimination in the Golden Temple. During his stint as acting Jathedar of Akal Takht in February 1996, Prof Manjit Singh had issued directive to the SGPC to allow women to perform ‘seva’ inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple as Sikh tenets did not preach gender discrimination.

When two UK-based Sikh women tried to touch the ‘paalki sahib’ at the Golden Temple, Prof Manjit Singh had stated that he himself got the directive of Sikh clergy implemented by taking jatha of US Sikh women and a local jatha of women led by the wife of an SGPC member, Mr Jaswinder Singh Advocate.

A few days after this statement, Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar had said women could be allowed to perform ‘seva’ only after taking Sikh ‘sangat’ into confidence.

The relations between Prof Manjit Singh and Prof Badungar spoiled when Prof Manjit Singh tried to hold ‘secret meetings’ with leaders of the Shiromani Khalsa Panchayat on the demand of the removal of Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti as Jathedar, Akal Takht.

Meanwhile, a former SGPC Secretary, Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta, has claimed that the SGPC executive had no right to sack any Jathedar.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Calcutta alleged that the removal of Prof Manjit Singh had proved that the SAD controlled SGPC considered Sikh high priests just ‘puppets’ or ‘rubber stamps’.