In the ongoing "war of supremacy", the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday appointed Sikh preacher Kuldeep Singh Gargaj as the acting Jathedar (high priest) of the Akal Takht, replacing incumbent Giani Raghbir Singh.
The development comes after the SGPC removed Giani Harpreet Singh from his post as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in February.
The decision was taken unanimously at the executive meeting of the SGPC, the gurdwara body, also known as the Sikh mini parliament, here.
Besides Gargaj, the SGPC also removed Giani Sultan Singh as the Jathedar of the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib. The Akal Takht in Amritsar and the Takht Kesgarh Sahib at Anandpur Sahib are two of the five seats of the temporal authority of Sikhism.
However, Giani Raghbir Singh and Giani Sultan Singh will continue as the Head Granthi and the Granthi of the Golden Temple, respectively.
"Kuldeep Singh Gargaj is appointed Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib with officiating charge as Akal Takht Jathedar. SGPC member Tek Singh Dhanaula will serve as Takht Damdama Sahib's Jathedar," an SGPC spokesperson told the media.
Giani Gargaj, 40, has been a ‘katha vachak’ since 2001.
Meanwhile, the decision on SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami’s resignation was kept pending. The SGPC budget session will be held on March 28.
The "cause of provocation" for removing Giani Raghbir Singh was his objection to the SGPC’s decision to sack Giani Harpreet Singh, leading to Dhami resigning as the SGPC chief.
Amid the crisis between the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), SGPC President Dhami resigned from his post on February 17.
Saying he has resigned as a token of respect for the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh, Dhami, who is known for his proximity with the Badal family, also offered to step down from the seven-member committee formed by the Akal Takht Jathedar in December last for reorganisation of the Akali Dal.
Dhami had been facing “criticism” from the Akal Takht Jathedar for removing Giani Harpreet Singh as the Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib.
The resignation of Dhami is seen as a setback for the Akali Dal that had "put pressure" on the SGPC executive committee to remove Giani Harpreet Singh as he played a key role in last year’s decree of the Sikh clergy in which tankhah (religious punishment) was given to Sukhbir Badal and other Akali leaders.