M A I N   N E W S

Graduation must for jathedars
Varinder Walia
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 21
The subcommittee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee will meet on June 28 in Chandigarh to discuss the draft of the Sikh Gurdwara Bill, 1999, which proposes that the jathedars of Takhts and the Head Granthi, Golden Temple, should be graduates.

Chapter seven of the draft also proposes qualifications, disqualifications and age limit for holding the posts of the Sikh high priests. The draft reads, “On and after the date of commencement of this Act, no person shall be appointed as Head Granthi of the Golden Temple or as Jathedar of any of the Takhts unless he is “amritdhari” (baptised) and is a graduate.

However, conditions could be relaxed or waived in case of a person of outstanding ability and competence. The age limit for such high posts should be between 45 to 70 years.

A person shall, however, be disqualified from being appointed as Jathedar of any Takht or Head Granthi of Sri Darbar Sahib if he has been convicted by a criminal court at any time for an offence involving moral turpitude unless such conviction has been set aside or if he has lost his mental balance.

The draft Bill proposes that the Sikh high priests appointed under Section 78 shall receive such remunerations and persionary benefits and other facilities, including residential accommodation, transport facilities and secretarial assistance, and shall be governed by such other terms and conditions of appointment as may be determined by regulations made by the central board (the proposed All-India Gurdwara Act) in consultation with the central religious body. However, the Head Granthi of the Golden Temple and the jathedars of Takhts will hold office for a term of 15 years from the date on which they enter their respective offices or up to the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier. However, those already working before the date of commencement of this Act shall continue to be governed by the provisions of the Punjab Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder.

Under the sub-heading, “Removal of jathedars and Head Granthis”, the draft reads they can be removed only when the incumbent loses his mental balance and stands declared as such by a competent court or if he is found guilty of violating ‘rehat maryada’ or when he, by his unbecoming conduct, renders himself unworthy of the office held by him. The draft said notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being enforced, the Jathedars and the Head Granthi, Darbar Sahib, would be exempted from personal appearance in any court during the tenure of their office.

However, Mr Gurcharnjit Singh Lamba, a Sikh scholar, who is also a member of the subcommittee constituted by the SGPC on this issue, raised certain objections to the draft of the Bill during the proposed meeting to be held on June 28. Mr Lamba said he would raise a point at the meeting against the provisions of the Bill that the head priests would take an oath before a nominee of the SGPC. The draft reads “every person to be jathedar of a Takht or a Head Granthi of Sri Darbar Sahib shall, before entering his office, make and subscribe, in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib and before the president of the central board or some person deputed in that behalf by him.” Mr Lamba said such a provision could amount to denigrating the prestige of Sikh high priests.