Punjab CM Mann, SGPC set for showdown over 328 missing 'saroops' of Guru Granth Sahib
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) are all set for a showdown regarding the 328 missing 'saroops' of the Guru Granth Sahib. CM Mann on Monday slammed the SGPC for allegedly using the Akal Takht and Panth (community) as a shield to evade action against their 'misdeeds'. The Sikh clergy (five high priests) hit back, asking the Aam Aadmi Party government to stop meddling in their internal matters or face action according to 'Panthic' traditions. Addressing a press conference, CM Mann said that for the last few years the Sikh community has been deeply anguished as no action has been taken over the disappearance of the 328 saroops of the Guru Granth Sahib. The panthic organizations and Sant Samaj have for long demanded action in this regard and have even approached the state government for this purpose. As its moral responsibility, the government has lodged an FIR in this regard and constituted a SIT to probe the matter, he added. Mann said, The interim committee of the SGPC in its meeting in 2020 passed a resolution for severe action against the erring employees of the committee and publishers in the case. However, surprisingly no action was taken in this regard despite several irregularities though the SGPC had earlier itself passed a resolution to register criminal cases against influential persons like former Chief Secretary Dr Roop Singh and others. It had also been decided to terminate all services from SS Kohli and Associates (a chartered accountant firm) and recover 75 per cent of payments made. However, as SS Kohli was rendering services as the CA of Akali leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, the action is still hanging fire. He claimed that the SGPC says that the state government is meddling in the affairs of the panth which is not true as the SGPC had passed a resolution for criminal action against the accused, for which the state government has to take action. However, to save the skin of the influential persons who are involved in this sin, the SGPC has later taken back all its resolutions, he added. Mann said the SGPC wants every power but does not want to be accountable to the people. He added that though the SGPC has failed in its duty to find the missing saroops, the Punjab government will ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are punished as per the law of the land. On the other hand, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the matter related to the sacred saroops of the Guru Granth Sahib would be placed before the sangat with complete facts on Tuesday. He stated that during the meeting of the five high priests at the Akal Takht, it was clearly directed that no one should indulge in politics on this issue. However, CM Mann is attempting to mislead the sangat on this matter, he said. He appealed to the sangat to remain cautious of the politics being played over this sensitive issue. The five high priests held a meeting on Sunday to deliberate on various matters including the missing sacred saroops, making of films on Sikh subjects, and conducting Anand Karaj at non-gurdwara venues. They asserted that the SGPC is the democratically elected Panthic organisation of Sikhs, and according to the constitution of India, no government can directly or indirectly interfere in the internal affairs of any religion. The government's legal action is being justified on the basis of the Ishar Singh Investigation Commission report, whereas it is clearly mentioned on its page number 230 that this matter should be resolved through the Akal Takht authority and institutions of SGPC, instead of governmental law or police mechanisms, they said. They added, If any political party makes such an attempt, it will be answerable to the Akal Takht and will be deemed guilty of betraying the Panth. The state government and the ruling political party are warned that if they do not stop interfering in this internal matter of Sikhs, action will be taken in accordance with Panthic traditions. On December 7, the Punjab Police registered a case against 16 people, including a former SGPC chief secretary, in connection with the disappearance of the saroops in 2020. The SGPC had earlier said that the FIR registration was a direct challenge to the Akal Takht and an unwarranted interference in its administrative rights.
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