Akal Takht Jathedar resigns

THE institution of Akal Takht is regarded by the Sikhs as the primary seat of temporal authority. The head of this institution is expected to provide leadership to the community and his word is considered the law in various affairs of the Sikhs, and Sikh institutions. The responsibility is enormous, how it is exercised depends on the individual. Giani Gurbachan Singh, who has now resigned as jathedar, did not live up to the expectations of a leader and his sub-par performance led to controversies. Some of his decisions even eroded the image of the institution that enjoys a paramount place in Sikh affairs.

Giani Gurbachan Singh was at the helm of affairs of Akal Takht since 2008. His lack of action during certain protests during the tenure of Parkash Singh Badal as Chief Minister led to the perception of his closeness to the then ruling family of Punjab. His soft line on various dera heads led to resentment among common Sikhs and his flip-flop on the film Nanak Shah Fakir and the Nanakshahi calendar issue did not earn him any admiration. The ‘pardon’ of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in 2015 was widely resented. It was seen as a politically-motivated move.

Akal Takht has played a stellar role in being a moral beacon for the Sikhs, and some of its chiefs have a well-earned reputation of having the right moral compass and providing leadership by even standing up against temporal authorities, if necessary. Now more than ever, there is a need for a clear vision and of politics guided by ethics. The challenge for the SGPC is to find the right incumbent, a person who commands the respect of Sikh bodies as well as the public at large. Thereafter, the new head of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs will be required to demonstrate a high degree of integrity and probity in public life. He will need to build a consensus among various groups even as he asserts the moral high ground that is expected of an Akal Takht chief.