Panel for appointing Jathedars in limbo

Amritsar : The SGPC panel constituted to frame policies regarding the appointment of Takht Jathedars (heads) has been lying defunct. The issue comes under debate only when a controversy arises. The panel was constituted in January 2015 to set rules governing appointments, jurisdiction and relieving the Jathedars. It was, however, nowhere in the picture during the unceremonious removal of Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Gurmukh Singh. When asked, SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar said he had little inkling about such a panel. “Now that matter has been brought to my knowledge, I will look into it,” he said. The need to form an expert panel was felt after the dismissal of the then Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh, who had favoured original Nanakshahi calendar that had not gone down well with the SAD leadership.
The panel members were Balwant Singh Dhillon, former Director of Centre on Study in Guru Granth Sahib, Punjabi University; Prof Jaspal Singh, former vice-chancellor; Kirpal Singh, a Sikh historian; Prithipal Singh Kapur, former pro-VC, Guru Nanak Dev University, and Balkar Singh, a Patiala-based historian. The then SGPC secretary Dalmegh Singh was appointed co-ordinator.
Dalmegh Singh said only one meeting could be conducted at Anandpur Sahib where it was decided to set up an e-mail ID so that the suggestions from intellectuals from various quarters could be invited. “I could call only one meeting of the panel at Anandpur Sahib. After a month, I got retired and no one took the initiative to carry it on. The suggestions of the maiden meeting were never implemented,” he said.
Dhillon said, “We aimed at appointing persons who were not only aware of religious principles but also well-educated. English too is a must if any of Jathedars has to promote Sikhism at the international level. But it is pity that the SGPC has been selecting Jathedars from among raagis or granthis,” he said.