Chandigarh, March 8 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday hit out at the Akali Dal leadership for taking "revenge" from jathedars by unceremoniously removing them.
CM Mann's reaction came a day after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) removed Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Sultan Singh from their posts.
In February, the SGPC removed Giani Harpreet Singh from his post as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib.
Rajya Sabha MP and international president of the World Punjabi Organization, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, said the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, must lead by establishing a transparent and rigorous process for the selection and dismissal of jathedars, given the paramount authority of this position in Sikhism.
On a media query, Chief Minister Mann said the unceremonious removal of Akal Takht's jathedar "is unfortunate as now politicians are choosing the religious leaders".
He said the Akalis had indulged in theatrics by apologising for the sins committed by them in full public glare at the Akal Takht. However, CM Mann said jathedars are being "targetted" since they pronounced Akali leadership guilty of their unpardonable sins.
The Chief Minister said out of "vengeance", the Akali leadership is removing the jathedars, which is unwarranted and undesirable.
He said: "This has bruised the psyche of the entire Sikh community and they will never forgive them."
CM Mann said this trend of picking and removing the jathedar from the pocket of these "rejected leaders" reflects the sorry state of affairs.
The Chief Minister said the jathedars are highly revered by the entire Sikh Community and this type of behaviour with them is unwarranted and undesirable.
He said ironically the validity of the interim committee which has removed the jathedars has already expired around a decade ago as SGPC polls have not been held for a long time.
Joining the issue, Member of Parliament Vikram Sahney said the SGPC, the mini parliament of Sikhs, must engage with Sikh organisations, 'singh sabhas', Sikh saints, and gurdwaras worldwide to preserve the dignity and integrity of Akal Takht and all Takhts.
Sahney said the appointment and removal of the jathedars should adhere to strict protocols, mirroring the sacred processes of the Vatican, ensuring the respect and sanctity of these positions as guardians of faith --universal and deeply personal.
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