Akal Takht Denounces FIR Over Missing Guru Granth Sahib Copies

The Acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, has characterized the recent registration of a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the missing 328 ‘saroops’ (sacred copies) of the Guru Granth Sahib as politically motivated. This declaration follows the decision by police in Amritsar to file a case against 16 individuals, including the former chief secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), linked to the disappearance of these copies from 2020.

In a media briefing on December 8, Gargajj asserted that the FIR constitutes a direct interference in Sikh institutions. He pointed out that a report from a three-member inquiry commission, led by Ishar Singh, had already prompted the SGPC to take action against those deemed responsible for the incident. This corrective action had received approval from the former Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Harpreet Singh, along with five esteemed members known as the ‘Singh Sahiban’.

The SGPC had previously passed a resolution in its General House, seeking forgiveness from the Khalsa Panth for the situation. Gargajj emphasized that the matter at hand relates primarily to financial mismanagement rather than an act of sacrilege.

The involvement of prominent political figures such as Kultar Singh Sandhwan, the Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, and Harjot Singh Bains, a minister in the current government, has led Gargajj to suggest that this investigation is driven by political motives. He criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for its limited understanding of Sikh traditions and practices, arguing that the authorities’ actions represent a conspiracy to undermine the SGPC, a sentiment he believes the Sikh community will not accept.

The controversy surrounding the missing ‘saroops’ has ignited discussions about the intersection of politics and religion in Punjab, raising concerns among community leaders about the potential implications for Sikh governance and autonomy. As this situation develops, the ramifications for both the SGPC and the broader Sikh community remain to be seen.