Golden Temple head 'granthi' attacks Badal family, SGPC over corruption

Chandigarh, Feb 18 (PTI) The head 'granthi' at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Wednesday attacked the Badal family and the SGPC over alleged corrupt practices and irregularities in the apex gurdwara body.

Giani Raghbir Singh gave a call for 'Sarbat Khalsa' (assembly of all factions of the Sikh community) for "freeing" the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) from the "control" of the Badal family.

There was no immediate reaction from the SGPC and the Badal family on the charges.

Speaking to the media in Jalandhar, Giani Raghbir Singh also took up the issue of 328 missing 'saroops' of the Guru Granth Sahib and said he received calls from the 'sangat' who asked for the location of the sacred copies.

A special investigation team of the Punjab Police is probing into the 328 missing 'saroops' of the Guru Granth Sahib.

On December 7 last year, the Amritsar police registered a case against 16 people, including former SGPC officials, in connection with the disappearance.

"The Badal family, which controls the SGPC, supported such employees," Singh alleged.

Raghbir Singh claimed that "dacoity" of 'guru ki golak' (donation received by gurdwaras from devotees) is taking place, money being pocketed from the unauthorised sale of gurdwara land and funds from the sale of dried 'langar' being embezzled.

He alleged that instead of Rs 8,500, a sum fixed for holding 'Akhand Path Sahib' programme, some people are being asked to shell out Rs 5 lakh.

The Badal family used 'panthic' traditions, 'maryadas' and the position of 'panth' for its personal interests, he alleged.

Raghbir Singh urged the 'Khalsa panth', comprising Nihang bodies, 'taksals', Singh Sabhas and other Sikh organisations, to convene the 'Sarbat Khalsa' to "free" the SGPC from the one family.

He said he will be removed from the current position of head granthi at the Golden Temple for his allegations.

Raghbir Singh claimed that he had been pressured to ask people to vote for the Shiromani Akali Dal during the Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll in November 2025, but he refused to do so.

He claimed that he was asked to say that the December 2, 2024, decision was taken at the behest of the BJP and the RSS.

The Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht on December 2, 2024, had pronounced 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal and other leaders for the "mistakes" committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.

At that time, Raghbhir Singh was the Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs.

On March 7, 2025, Raghbir Singh was removed from the post of Akal Takht Jathedar. However, he continued to serve as the 'head granthi' of the Golden Temple. PTI CHS VN VN