Akal Takht is the institution to bind Sikhs

CHANDIGARH, APRIL 2: "No individual has the right to excommunicate any person from the panth. What has been bestowed upon by the Guru...

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CHANDIGARH, APRIL 2: "No individual has the right to excommunicate any person from the panth. What has been bestowed upon by the Guru cannot be taken away by any individual. One never gets punishment from the house of God. And the Akal Takht is not the throne of any mortal king but of God. There can be no room for dictatorship in the panth which has democratic traditions". Thus contends Bibi Jagir Kaur, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief.

In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express here on Saturday, she came out with her first-ever reaction to the developments that led to cancellation of the "hukamnama" (edict) excommunicating her from the panth. "I was not worried about myself. I only wanted the procedure to be followed. Finally, the truth had emerged victorious. The Guru himself created a situation in which Giani Puran Singh committed one mistake after the other even as there was no move to sack him," she said expressing her gratitude to the large sections of the Sikh society which supported her on the issue of observing "maryada".

Significantly, a message would be given to the Sikhs who have gone astray to return to the fold of the Guru and this message would coincide with the 400th anniversary of Parkash Utsav of Guru Granth Sahib, she disclosed. Seen in the context of the Sikhs who have joined sects like Nirankaris, it assumes all the more significance.

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Dwelling on the democratic traditions of the Sikh representatives putting their heads together at the Akal Takht, she said, unanimous decisions thus arrived at used to be articulated by the Jathedar in the form of "hukamnama". "We shall work to revive the age-old traditions to shut the doors on any kind of dictatorship. The SGPC had set up a committee to define the parameters of the functioning of the Akal Takht Jathedar and a final decision would be taken after consulting all sections of the Sikh society", she added.

Kaur had gone into hibernation for about 20 days during the crisis. She said it provided her and the Sikh sangat with an opportunity to introspect. “The present crisis is the churning process out of which something positive will emerge”, she hoped.

Kaur conceded that the exalted institution had been temporarily denigrated but said it was the struggle between principles and the unprincipled actions. At the same time, she said no body could violate the sanctity of the Akal Takht which represented the ultimate truth. She said it was the Sikh sangat which was the custodian of the seat and the people’s faith had been hit which was the most unfortunate. It was precisely for this reason that she had stuck to observing the principles during the entire crisis, she added.

The SGPC chief is now concentrating on the concluding functions of the Khalsa tercentenary coinciding with Baisakhi this month.

WHAT THE BIBI SAYS:

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The Akal Takht is not meant to punish but take people into the fold of Sikhism

Sikhism has been bestowed by the Guru and it cannot be taken away by an individual

Appeal will go out to the Sikhs who have gone astray to return to the fold of Sikhism

I am prepared to make every sacrifice for maintaining principles