JALANDHAR: Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Manjit Singh was onFeb.4 appointed acting jathedar of the Akal Takhat, the supreme religio-temporal seat of the Sikhs, by the SGPC, clearing the decks for summoning two eminent Sikh scholars, Dr.Piar Singh and Dr. Pashaura Singh to the Akal Takht for allegedly doubting the authenticity of Guru Granth Sahib.

Announcing the decision to visiting journalists at Baba Sangh Dhesian gurdwara here on Thursday, SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra said the decision was taken during a three hour meeting of the executive attended by all 15 members except general secretary Gurdial Singh Roranwali.

Asked if Delhi based Sikh builder Tejwant Singh would also be summoned to the Akal Takht for publishing Guru Granth Sahib in the book form in 1991, the SGPC chief quipped ‘the case will be referred to acting jathedar of the Akal Takht”.

Tolira said the need to appoint an acting jathedar was necessitated due to continuing detention of Akal Takht jathedar Ranjit Singh in Tihar Jail for the last more than nine years, Ranjit Singh is an under trial in the assassination case of Nirankari chief Gurbachan Singh. He said Professor Manjit Singh will continue to discharge his duties as Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib at Anandpur Sahib in addition to his functions as acting jathedar of the Akal Takht. Asked as to when he would formally take over as the acting jathedar, the SGPC chief said his installation would take place in about three weeks. Dr.Piar Singh of Guru Nanak Dev University and Dr,Paushara Singh of Toronto University in Canada had been charged with ‘denigrating’ the holy Sikh scripture with their thesis casting doubt on the authenticity of the Granth Sahib, while the book published by Tejwant Singh was reportedly rereleased at the residence of then Vice President, Dr.Shankar Dayal Sharma, on the eve of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in Nov.1991. The SGPC took cognizance of this ‘religious misconduct’ because the holy book is always installed (Parkash Kama) and never represented or released, The function at Dr Sharma’s residence was attended among others by former President, GianiZail Singh and former PGI director DrJaswant Singh Neki.

Asked if consensus among vanous Akali factions and other Sikh organizations had been reached on the appointment of Prof. Manjit Singh, the SGPC chief said the Damdami Taksal had been sounded though he did not talk it over with Baba Thakur Singh, Barring the Badal faction which controls the SGPC, other Akali factions had been demanding that only a consensus candidate should be appointed the acting jathedar of the Akal Takht as the Sikh panth was passing through critical times.

Tohra said representation to various Sikh organizations had been given on the 31member committee constituted by the SGPC and it was this committee which had recommended the summoning of the two Sikh scholars to the Akal Takht and hence also the need to appoint the acting jathedar to perform the task of summoning them.

Tohra said, Ranjit Singh would continue to be the jathedar of the Akal Takht, claiming that the whole Sikh panth had approved of his appointment. Ranjit Singh was appointed jathedar in place of Jasbir Singh Rode who was sacked by the SGPC about three years ago. Rode, who is in Bhatinda jail for the last several months, however, continued to claim himself to be the jathedar of the Akal Takht. Panthic Committee chief Gurbachan Singh Manochahal has reportedly tendered his resignation from the same post to which he was never appointed by the SGPC in the first place.

Tohra said the thesis by these two Sikh scholars was an attempt to undermine the faith of the Sikh community in their holy book but added that they had not done so deliberately. He alleged it was the brainchild of Prof Mcleod, who was teacher guide of Dr.Paushara Singh, when the latter was doing his doctorate on the Granth Sahib. He said Prof Mcleod had made a similar attempt earlier but had to retreat in the face of furore of the Sikh community.

Tohra said the SGPC executive on Thursday asked him to explore the possibility of forging unity in the Sikh panth. Asked if it was possible in view of the mushroom growth of various Akal factions and the way efforts had failed in the past, he quipped, “that is why I did not allow it (the executive) to adopt a resolution to this effect.”

The SGPC chief said the government was interfering in the religious affairs of the Sikhs by not holding elections to the SGPC since 1984, He said the Sikhs Gurdwara Act of 1925 was the only thing the Sikhs were left with since independence and the government was now trying to snatch away this also.

Article extracted from this publication >>  February 12, 1993