SGPC using Akal Takht as shield: Mann on row over FIR on missing saroops

Chandigarh, Dec 29 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday accused the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee of failing to find the 328 missing saroops (sacred copies) of Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib, and accused it of "using the Akal Takht as a shield" to save people close to their "masters".

Mann's statements come a day after the five Singh Sahiban, or heads of the five Sikh temporal seats, asked the AAP government to stop meddling in the internal matter of Sikhs or face action in accordance with Panthic traditions, after the Amritsar Police registered an FIR against 16 persons, including a former SGPC chief secretary, on December 7 this year over the disappearance of the saroops in 2020.

Addressing mediapersons in Chandigarh on Monday, Mann said the FIR was filed after several Sikh bodies demanded a thorough probe to find the missing saroops. He asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to cooperate with the investigation.

The SGPC, meanwhile, accused the chief minister of attempting to mislead people. SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said that during the meeting of Singh Sahiban on Sunday, it was clearly directed that no one should indulge in politics on this issue.

After holding a key meeting on Sunday, the Singh Sahiban had asserted that SGPC was the democratically elected Panthic organisation, and the Constitution of India stipulates that no government can directly or indirectly interfere in the internal affairs of any religion.

Mann said for the last few years, Punjabis in general and the Sangat (Sikh spiritual collective) were in deep anguish as no action has been taken to find the missing saroops.

"The Panthic organisations and Sant Samaj have since long demanded action in the matter and even approached the state government. As its moral responsibility, the Punjab government lodged an FIR and constituted a special investigation team," Mann said.

But immediately after the FIR, Mann said, the SGPC, "on the directions of its masters", started holding press meets and "spitting venom" against the state government for interfering in religious matters.

"The SGPC chief himself admitted that 10-20 scams occur daily in the apex gurdwara body, indicating gross misuse of Golak (cash box) money offered by devotees," he said.

Pointing to an earlier SGPC resolution, the chief minister claimed that it had once advocated legal action into the missing saroops.

"The interim committee of SGPC, in a 2020 meeting, had passed a resolution for severe action against its erring employees and publishers," Mann said.

Surprisingly, no action was taken, he said.

Mann said the SGPC had passed a resolution to register criminal cases against individuals including former chief secretary Roop Singh. It had even decided to terminate all services of a chartered accountancy firm and recover 75 per cent of payments made to it. But as the firm renders services to Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, the SGPC put the resolutions on the back burner, he said.

Mann wondered how the registration of an FIR into the missing saroops could amount to interference in Sikh matters when their whereabouts are still not known.

"There is no malice in it. As per Sangat sentiments, we want to know who have these saroops," Mann said, reiterating that the SGPC should cooperate with the investigation.

The chief minister said the SGPC, "at the behest of its masters", claim that the state government is meddling in Panthic affairs, which is not true.

"The SGPC has backtracked from all its resolutions to save the skin of influential persons involved in this sin," he alleged, accusing it of making Akal Takht a shield to "save the skin of those who are close to their masters".

"The SGPC and its president are puppets of the Akali leadership, who are using it for their vested interests. They fear the SIT as they know that a fair and thorough probe will expose them," Mann said.

The Akali Dal government granted SGPC all rights to publish the Guru Granth Sahib through Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008, he said, but now when the state government wants to ensure recovery of the missing saroops so that no desecration could take place, a religious colour is being given to it.

He said the Punjab government will ensure that those behind the disappearance of the sacred copies of the holy book are punished under the law.

Asked if those named in the FIR will be summoned, Mann answered in the affirmative. "Will summon them. Let's see who won't appear," he said, "Why have those named in the FIR gone underground? They should come forward and give the details." The SGPC had earlier called the FIR registration a direct challenge to the Akal Takht and an unwarranted interference in its administrative rights.

The disappearance of 328 saroops from the SGPC's publication house in Amritsar came to light in June 2020, leading to a major controversy at that time.

The chief minister also took a swipe at the Akali Dal, claiming that its leaders only want to grab power and are least bothered about the interests of the state and its people.

He said that in 1920 when Akali Dal was formed, it was known as the party of lions but the current leaders have turned it into a party of "dinosaurs". PTI CHS VSD RUK RUK