Takht Damdama Sahib Acting Jathedar Giani Gurmukh Singh removed

Sanjay Bumbroo/ Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Fatehgarh Sahib/Muktsar, April 21

Acting Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Giani Gurmukh Singh was on Friday removed unceremoniously by the executive members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) here.

Head Granthi of Gurdwara Muktsar Sahib, Harpreet Singh has been given the additional charge as Jathedar Takht Damdama Sahib.

SGPC chief Kripal Singh Badungar said that the executive members had unanimously decided to remove Giani Gurmukh Singh, who was also holding the charge of Head Granthi Golden Temple Amritsar,  from the post of Acting Jathedar for not following the ‘Maryada’ besides issuing controversial statements.

He said Giani Gurmukh Singh had not attended the meetings convened by other Takht Jathedars which had also hurt the sentiments of the community.

Giani Gurmukh Singh had been given the additional charge of Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib on January 27, 2015, after the unceremonious removal of Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh on the Nanakshahi calendar issue on January 18, 2015.

Badungar said that Giani Gurmukh Singh had also been removed as Head Granthi of Golden Temple and added that Head Granthi of Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Deep Singh in Amritsar has been given the additional charge in his place.  

The removal of Giani Gurmukh Singh as Acting Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib was the main issue among other resolutions which were presented before the executive.

Meanwhile, an elated Giani Harpreet Singh, now jathedar, Takht Damdama Sahib, told The Tribune that he has been working as head granthi of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Muktsar, since 1999.

He is MA in Comparative Religion from Punjabi University, Patiala. Besides, he has done a Diploma in Divinity.