Sacrilege probe panel raps SGPC for ‘non-cooperation’

Chandigarh : The Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) Commission, set up to probe cases of sacrilege, today made scathing observations after SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar didn’t appear before it.
SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar failed to appear before the Congress government-appointed commission on Monday. The SGPC has already rejected the panel, claiming that it is supreme body managing Sikh religious affairs and thus can’t be summoned by a commission. Blaming the SGPC for adopting an “obstructive” approach and “non-cooperation”, the panel held it responsible for joining the chorus with politicians and spreading misinformation on summoning the Akal Takht Jathedar, despite being aware that no such summons were issued. “The SGPC was expected to willingly come forward to help and assist the commission trace the culprits committing sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji… Those raising objections seem to have no concern to unearth the acts of sacrilege,” the commission said in its order. The panel said it had been deprived of the “august” body’s views due to its non-cooperative attitude. “The commission will now have to depend upon unauthenticated record. But it would still wait for assistance from the SGPC, if it ever has a change of heart,” it said. The commission had summoned Badungar or his representative after a series of communications for discussing preventive measures and providing copies of the resolution granting pardon (later revoked) to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.