Giani Harpreet Singh paid price for being ‘outspoken’

Giani Harpreet Singh paid price for being ‘outspoken’

Amritsar: The ones who displease the committee and SAD get the marching orders just as it appeared to be in the case of Giani Harpreet Singh, though the SGPC claimed that he had quit the charge of Akal Takht and would continue as Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo. Appointed as acting Jathedar of Akal Takht on October 22, 2018, Giani Harpreet Singh was known for his ‘superfluous views’ on the Panthic issues.

He was bold enough to question SAD even during his public address. It is believed that he had to pay the price for his ‘advice’ to the Akali Dal to shun its political aspirations and instead revert to the Panthic agenda.

His claim that SAD originally was a party of farmers and ‘mazdoors’ (labourers) and not of ‘sarmaaedaars’ (capitalists) and that the existing SAD leadership had deviated from the original path that led to its debacle had left SAD in a piquant situation.

This was coupled with his soft stance towards the self-styled pro-Khalistan activist Amritpal Singh’s move to make Sri Guru Granth Sahib saroop as a ‘shield’ in the Ajnala incident.

Lately, his unexpected attendance at the pre-wedding event of AAP MP Raghav Chadha and Bollywood actor Parineeti Chopra in New Delhi had prompted SAD spokesperson Virsa Singh Valtoha to say that he had breached the code of conduct by attending a private function that was not conducive to the Sikh ‘rehat maryada’.

All these events appeared to have pushed the SGPC to remove him from the charge of Akal Takht.

Giani Harpreet Singh was not the only one who was shown the door for being outspoken, there were others who were sacked in the past.

It is learnt that some executive members of the SGPC Gurpreet Singh Randhawa and Malkit Singh Changal raised objections over the dictatorial approach of the SGPC in removing the Jathedars. Changal said he had submitted his dissent note with the SGPC over the removal of Giani Harpreet Singh.