Chandigarh: The top leadership in the Sikh clergy stands divided over the pardon extended to Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. The five beloved ones of the tenth Sikh Master, known as the Panj Piare, have called for the resignation of the five head priests of the five Sikh shrines for having defied the summons issued by them.
The five beloved ones of the tenth Sikh Master Guru Gobind Singh Ji on Wednesday summoned the five Sikh Head Priests to present themselves before the Akal Takht - the supreme temporal head of the Sikhs and explain their decision regarding the pardon extended to Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim on September 24.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim had dressed up in the attire of Guru Gobind Singh during a religious congregation of the sect at its headquarters in Sirsa, Haryana. The incident led to clashes between Dera followers and Sikhs in parts of Punjab at that time. For the first time in recorded Sikh history, the five beloved ones summoned the top priests of the five Sikh holy shrines.
Bhai Satnam Singh, speaking for the five beloved ones, defended the summons to top five head priests.
Reacting to the decision of the Panj Piare to summon the Jathedars of the five Sikh takhts, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee president Avtar Singh Makkar ordered their suspension on Thursday. This decision immediately drew flak from several Sikh leaders and groups who called it an attack on the basic tenets of Sikhism and that Makkar had no authority to order their suspension. Former head priest of the Akal Takht, Jathedar Vedanti, said it was an unfortunate move made by the SGPC.
Punjab has seen a tense October with protests through the month. Farmers protested over the pesticide scam and almost 1200 trains had to be cancelled. This was followed by protests over desecration of the Sikh holy book that led to police firing in which two Sikhs were killed. Tension started to simmer within the Golden Temple complex from Tuesday onwards when Hymn Singers inside the Golden Temple protested against the Sikh Head Priest for the pardon extended to the Dera Chief.
The five beloved ones had a meeting at the Golden Temple Complex on Friday where they decided to seek resignation of the five head priests of the five Sikh Takhts for having defied the summons issued to them to come and explain their stand on the pardon issued to Dera Head Gurmeet Ram Rahim. The priests did not come and despite being suspended the five beloved ones continue to issue summons and give directions.
Satnam Singh, one of five beloveds said "the five Sikh Priests did not turn up at the Akal Takht despite being issued summons. We waited for them and have now decided that the five head priests of the five Takhts and the head priest of the Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh should all resign".
It is perhaps for the first time that the Sikh religious leadership is facing fissures that have divided its ranks. For now, there do not appear to be any easy answers as no solutions have been arrived at. For the political leadership of the state, managing this issue will be of prime importance even as the Shiromani Akali Dal itself is facing flak for interfering in Sikh religious affairs.
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