Sikh Intellectuals Say “De-Politicize” Akal Takht

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They Charge The Sikhs Highest Temporal Authority Is Being Misused By Akalis!

AMRITSAR – A day after the Akal Takht ex-communicated Haryana Sikh leaders, Sikh intellectuals opine that some of the recent edicts of the highest temporal seat have a political tinge to them and it is high time to “depoliticise the Akal Takht so as to restore its dignity which has been eroded by such edicts”.

Former SGPC secretary Manjeet Singh Calcutta said for the past sometime, the edicts being issued by the Akal Takht clearly “gave an impression that it was acting at the behest of the ruling SAD”. He felt that the Takht had no purview to interfere in administrative affairs of the SGPC.

He said the SAD was playing havoc with the prestige and respect of the Takht. “The Takht’s supremacy is being compromised with by decisions like ex-communication of Haryana Sikh leaders. The Akal Takht Secretariat should also be freed from the clutches of the SGPC,” he said. To de-politicise its functioning, he said, there was need to formulate norms for appointment, qualification, tenure and removal of the Akal Takht Jathedar, besides clearly defining their working sphere.

Former Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission chairman Kashmir Singh Patti said the Akal Takht Jathedar had no right to issue an edict. According to him, the edicts were earlier issued by the Akal Takht only after a unanimous decision was reached on any issue by ‘Sarbat Khalsa’. He claimed that the tradition of calling ‘Sarbat Khalsa’ was done away with by the SGPC on Nirankari issue in 1978. He said it was high time that the old tradition was revived.

Former National Commission for Minorities chairman Tarlochan Singh opined that the Akal Takht should have an advisory committee comprising Sikh intellectuals to discuss the issues referred to it in detail and help in reaching a wise division. He said the move would go a long way in upholding the supremacy of the Akal Takht. He said the Akal Takht was the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, which was respected all over the world and there was need to strengthen the institution and make it more acceptable.