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Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee forms 34-member panel for Akal Takht jathedar service rules, excludes Sri Guru Singh Sabha and DSGMC
1 2 Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has constituted a 34-member committee, comprising heads of various religious organisations, Sikh scholars, intellectuals and others, to draft service rules for the jathedar of Akal Takht. However, the Sri Guru Singh Sabha, one of the oldest Sikh institutions, has objected to its exclusion, along with some other prominent Sikh bodies, from the committee's composition. An SGPC statement issued here on Thursday announced that SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami had formed the committee. However, Sri Guru Singh Sabha general secretary Harmanjit Singh questioned whether the exclusion of several important Sikh institutions by the SGPC was a deliberate attempt to distance these bodies from the SGPC and Akal Takht. He said Sri Guru Singh Sabha, established in 1873 for the propagation of Sikhism and still actively contributing to the Panth, was one of the oldest Sikh organisations. "The exclusion of such prominent Sikh institutions committed to Sikh representation and dedicated to Akal Takht raises serious concerns about the intentions of the SGPC," he said. He asked Dhami to reconsider and include representatives from such prominent organisations, which, he said, would help keep the Panth united under Akal Takht. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar BOX Delhi gurdwara body slams exclusion The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) on Thursday took exception to being excluded from the 34-member committee constituted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to draft service rules for the jathedar of Akal Takht. In a statement issued by its president Harmeet Singh Kalka and general secretary Jagdip Singh Kahlon, DSGMC said SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami was indulging in favouritism towards the Badal family. They accused him of excluding representatives from DSGMC and the Prabandhak Committee of the Takhat Sri Harimandir Ji Patna Saheb from the 34-member panel. They said DSGMC was the second-largest panthic body after SGPC, and excluding it exposed Dhami's partiality.
The Print
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Haryana govt ‘Veer Banda Bairagi' ad on his martyrdom day invites backlash from SGPC, Akal Takht
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib condemned the label as a 'grave insult' to Sikh history and identity, alleging a deliberate attempt to distort the legacy of the Khalsa general who led a historic campaign against Mughal tyranny. The controversy erupted after the Haryana government's Department of Information and Public Relations published advertisements in leading dailies and made social media posts 25 June, marking Banda Singh Bahadur's martyrdom day. The social media posts have since been modified. Gurugram: A Haryana government advertisement on the martyrdom day of revered Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Wednesday ignited a firestorm of controversy as it referred to him as 'Veer Banda Bairagi'. In a strongly worded statement issued from Amritsar Wednesday, SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami described the advertisement as a 'violation of Sikh principles' and a 'misrepresentation' of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur's life and martyrdom. 'Calling him 'Veer Banda Bairagi' hurts Sikh sentiments and distorts historical truth,' Dhami said in the statement. He emphasised Banda Singh Bahadur, born Lachhman Dev in 1670, renounced his Bairagi identity after he met Guru Gobind Singh in 1708 and became a baptised Sikh. Under the Guru's guidance, he led the Khalsa Army to defeat Mughal forces at Chappar Chiri in 1710, captured Sirhind, and established the first Sikh rule, naming the site Sri Fatehgarh Sahib to honour the martyred Sahibzadas, the four sons of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. Bairagi, in the context of Hindu traditions, are Vishnu devotees. It refers to someone free from worldly desires and attachments. They are often associated with ascetics or those who have renounced worldly life. Dhami highlighted Banda Singh Bahadur's revolutionary reforms, including abolishing the Mughal zamindari system and granting land ownership to farmers, a landmark step toward social equality. 'He was a devout Sikh, not a Bairagi, and his martyrdom in 1716, alongside his four-year-old son Ajay Singh, remains a symbol of Sikh sacrifice,' Dhami said. He demanded the Haryana government apologise, retract the advertisement, and take action against officials responsible for the 'deliberate' misrepresentation. Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the acting jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, echoed Dhami's sentiments, calling the advertisement part of a 'conspiracy to erase Baba Banda Singh Bahadur's Sikh identity'. Paying homage to the martyr, Gargaj recounted his leadership in uprooting the Mughal rule from Punjab, his prolonged resistance at Gurdas Nangal, and his son's brutal execution before his own eyes. 'Referring to him as 'Veer Banda Bairagi' is an insult to his legacy and the Sikh community,' Gargaj said, urging Sikhs in Haryana to 'educate the government' about Banda Singh Bahadur's true identity. Also Read: Why BJP wants to make Sikh icon Banda Singh Bahadur its own — 'defender of faith against Mughals' 'Objections unwarranted' Ashok Chhabra, the media coordinator for Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, defended the advertisement, calling the objections 'unwarranted' and politically motivated. 'The BJP admires Banda Singh Bahadur's courage and valour. He was originally born a Bairagi, also known as Banda Bairagi. The SGPC's protest is for political reasons,' Chhabra told ThePrint. Bairagis are listed among 72 castes in Haryana's Backward Class 'A' block, alongside Kamboj, Bhat, and others. CM Saini and Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh belong to the BC 'B' block, which includes Ahir and Saini castes. Political analysts see the BJP's use of 'Veer Banda Bairagi' as a strategic move to appeal to both Sikh and OBC voters in Haryana, where caste dynamics play a significant role. 'Mentioning Banda Singh Bahadur as Bairagi serves a dual purpose for the BJP, wooing Sikhs while reinforcing its OBC push,' said Kushal Pal, a professor of political science who is posted as principal at Indira Gandhi National College, Ladwa, in Kurukshetra. About Banda Bahadur Baba Banda Singh Bahadur's legacy, as documented in Sikh historical texts and Sikhiwiki, remains a cornerstone of Sikh pride. Born in a Minhas Rajput family in Rajouri, he became an austere after a transformative encounter with a dying doe, adopting the name Madho Das Bairagi. His meeting with Guru Gobind Singh in Nanded in 1708 marked a turning point, as he embraced Sikhism and was tasked with punishing Mughal oppressors, including Nawab Wazir Khan of Sirhind. His victories laid the foundation for the Sikh Misls and Maharaja Ranjit Singh's kingdom, ending centuries of Mughal dominance in Punjab. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur's journey through Haryana in 1709 saw him ignite a rebellion against Mughal oppression. It started in Narnaul where he crushed dacoits amid the Satnami massacre, followed by rallying support in Hisar, summoning Malwa Sikhs in Tohana, plundering treasuries in Sonepat and Kaithal, and conquering Samana—infamous for its executioners of Sikh Gurus—before devastating Kunjpura, Ghuram, Thaska, Damla, and Shahbad Markanda, setting the stage for his historic victory at Sirhind. He met a brutal end 9 June 1716, when Mughal forces, after torturing him and martyring his four-year-old son Ajay Singh before his eyes, executed him in Delhi, dismembering his body after he refused to renounce his Sikh faith. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: YouTuber Dhruv Rathee takes down video after backlash over AI depiction of Sikh guru
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Jathedar says Haryana govt distorted Baba Banda Singh Bahadur's name
1 2 Amritsar: The officiating jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, on Wednesday expressed concern over recent attempts to allegedly distort Baba Banda Singh Bahadar's Sikh identity by portraying him as 'Veer Banda Bairagi'. In a statement, he objected to an advertisement published by the Haryana govt to mark Banda Singh Bahadur's martyrdom day, which referred to him by this name. Gargaj said it was an attempt to blur Sikh history. He emphasised that this was a grave insult to the Sikh community and the legacy of a Sikh general and martyr. He added the move had deeply hurt Sikh sentiments. He directed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to intervene and also appealed to the Sikhs of Haryana to engage with the govt to ensure its officials are educated on Banda Singh Bahadar's historical identity and legacy. He said Banda Singh Bahadar was the first Sikh emperor and a revered martyr, and no one had the right to distort his name. The name by which he is recorded in Sikh history should be universally acknowledged and promoted, he claimed. Gargaj revealed that as soon as the controversial advertisement and social media posts by Haryana's department of information, public relations, language and culture came to light, officials from the secretariat of Akal Takht reached out to the department concerned and lodged their objection. After this, the department removed the objectionable posts from their social media platforms and replaced them with content using Banda Singh Bahadar's correct name. However, he said, by then, the misleading advertisements had already appeared in newspapers and social media. He instructed SGPC to coordinate with Haryana DIPR to ensure such mistakes are not repeated in future.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Grave insult': Akal Takht head, SGPC object to Haryana govt ads referring to Baba Banda Singh Bahadur as ‘Veer Banda Bairagi'
The acting Jathedar of the Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, on Wednesday issued a statement condemning the Haryana government for referring to Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur as 'Veer Banda Bairagi' in its public advertisements issued to commemorate his martyrdom day. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was a Sikh commander of the Khalsa army who liberated a large part of North India from Mughal rule and established the Khalsa rule in Punjab. His martyrdom day is observed on June 25. 'The Sikh community must remain alert to anti-Sikh narratives. The Haryana government must be made aware of the facts through coordination by Sikhs in the state,' Gargaj said in his statement. He also asked the Sikh community to take serious note of what he termed a distortion of Sikh identity and urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to ensure coordination with Sikh representatives in Haryana on the matter. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami also expressed strong objection to the reference. 'This is not only a violation of Sikh principles, but also a grave insult to the life and martyrdom of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur,' Dhami said. 'Referring to him as 'Veer Banda Bairagi' deeply hurts Sikh sentiments. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur became an initiated Sikh under the guidance of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. He renounced the Bairagi identity and led the Khalsa in battle against the Mughal Empire,' he added. Dhami also highlighted Baba Banda Singh Bahadur's role in establishing the first Sikh rule and abolishing the feudal land system. 'He granted land rights to farmers, which marked a significant step toward social equality,' Dhami stated. 'This appears to be a deliberate attempt to undermine Sikh identity and misrepresent Sikh history,' he said, demanding that the Haryana government stop issuing such advertisements and take strict action against those responsible. The Haryana government is yet to respond.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
SGPC official found dead under mysterious circumstance, probe on
Kartar Singh, in-charge of the Dharam Prachar Committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), was found dead under suspicious circumstances on Tuesday, two days after he was reported missing, police said. According to police sources, Singh's Activa scooter was found abandoned near Sultanwind canal, following which a search operation for his body was launched in the canal. SGPC officials lodged a written complaint at the B-Division police station on Tuesday, demanding immediate action against those responsible. Police said that based on the complaint, they were investigating the case. 'After recovering the scooter from the canal bank, we have intensified the search in the area,' a police officer said. However, police are yet to confirm whether it was a case of suicide or homicide. The victim's kin had earlier expressed concern over Singh's disappearance and suspected 'foul play'. The victim's sister said Singh had been under stress for some time over some domestic issues and had allegedly been assaulted on the night he went missing. 'He had shared his worries with us before. That night too, he was beaten up,' she told the media.
