Crisis in Akali Dal deepens as SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami resigns
His resignation comes days after Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh slammed the SGPC move to dismiss Giani Harpreet Singh as the jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib
The crisis in the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) deepened on Monday (February 17) with SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami tendering his resignation and also offering to quit as the head of the seven-member panel constituted by the Akal Takht to supervise the reorganisation of the party.
His resignation comes days after Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh slammed the SGPC move to dismiss Giani Harpreet Singh as the jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib.
Also read: Punjab | Sukhbir Badal's resignation accepted but will it resurrect Akali Dal?
‘Committed to Akal Takht’
Addressing a hastily called press conference in Amritsar, Dhami said he is always committed to the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. Referring to a February 13 Facebook post of Jathedar Raghbir Singh on the termination of services of Giani Harpreet Singh, Dhami said, “I being the president of SGPC take responsibility and resign from the post on moral grounds with immediate effect,” he said.
Dhami also said he has written to the Akal Takht Jathedar to relieve him from his position in the seven-member committee formed to supervise the new membership drive of the SAD.
“Circumstances for the Panth (Sikh community) are very serious and the government is trying to weaken Sikh organisations,” Dhami said, adding that he has sent his resignation to the SGPC executive committee.
On the decision to sack Giani Harpreet Singh, which led to a backlash against the SGPC and SAD leaders, Dhami said, “An open discussion was held over his removal during the executive committee meeting. All the members were allowed to express their views. This is not the first time that the executive committee has terminated the services of a jathedar.”
Blow to Badal camp
Political analysts see Dhami’s resignation as a jolt for the Sukhbir Badal camp in the SAD, which allegedly forced the SGPC executive committee to remove Giani Harpreet Singh as he played a key role in the December 2 decree of the Sikh clergy. The decree awarded ‘tankhah’ (religious punishment) to Badal and other party leaders for the mistakes committed by the party and its government from 2007-17 on the complaint of rebel party leaders.
The Sikh clergy also ordered constitution of a seven-member committee, comprising members from both the Badal and rebel camps, to initiate a recruitment drive and elect new office-bearers in six months. The decree pointed out that the present leadership of the SAD had lost the moral right to lead the community.
Significantly, Dhami was also under pressure as the Badal camp had initiated a recruitment drive allegedly setting aside the December 2 decree. The rebel camp has been demanding the ongoing recruitment drive be annulled and the entire exercise be initiated according to directions of the Akal Takht. The Badal camp is reportedly not keen on cancelling the ongoing drive.
Rebels slam Badal faction
On the other hand, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, who was the convener of the rebel Akali group, said, “Dhami’s decision is unfortunate and reflects the pathetic state of affairs within the party, as he was being pressured to do things against his will.” He also termed the move to sack Giani Harpreet Singh as the one against Sikh principles and traditions.
Dubbing Dhami’s resignation an unfortunate development, Giani Harpreet Singh posted on Facebook: “Five to seven SAD leaders who know nothing about Panthic traditions and ‘maryada’ are weakening Panthic institutions for vested interests and keep politics of a person alive. The leaders who represent Panthic ideology are either being shown the door or forced to quit. May Akal Purakh (almighty) bless the institutions of Guru Panth.”
Also read: Akali Dal set for overhaul, Akal Takht says leadership lost moral right to lead ‘Sikh Panth’
Earlier, in a communique shared on Facebook, Giani Raghbir Singh had said, “I’m deeply saddened. The reasons and methods used to remove Giani Harpreet Singh of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib from his post are not correct at all. After the decisions taken by the Sri Akal Takht Sahib on December 2, 2024, in the light of Panthic sentiments and traditions, it seems an atmosphere was being created against the Singh Sahibs in a calculated and deliberate manner. A media trial was conducted against Giani Harpreet Singh by giving a wrong shade to an 18-year-old family issue.”
“If there is a need to investigate any allegation against any jathedar of any Takht Sahib, then only Sri Akal Takht Sahib can do it. It is unfortunate that Giani Harpreet Singh was terminated despite my statement. Sacking the jathedars in this way is extremely unfortunate,” he had stated.
