Same-sex marriage in presence of Guru Granth Sahib invites Akal Takht’s ire

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 19

With no room for ‘same-sex’ marriage ceremony in the Sikh religion, the Akal Takht has taken a strong notice of a homosexual knot accomplished under the patronage of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ‘saroop’ in the USA.

Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh has issued strong directions to a US couple -- Sarbjeet Singh Neel and his wife Leela -- who have allegedly got this ‘unholy’ ceremony done recently in Sacramento in the presence of ‘saroop’ which was in their possession.

Giani Harpeet Singh has directed the North American Sikh Gurdwara managements to take the ‘saroop’ from their possession immediately and place this in a gurdwara.

Confirming the development, personal assistant of Harpreet Singh said a strongly-worded letter has been posted to the ‘erring’ US couple as Sikh code of conduct did not allow such marriages.

“They were told to hand over the saroop to the designated Sikh activists. It was a blasphemous act of accomplished marriage of two males performed in the presence of this ‘saroop’. It was also a violation of the Akal Takht’s directions,” he said.

He added that numerous complaints were earlier received at the Akal Takht Secretariat about the same couple who often indulged in acts of sacrilege. “The US gurdwara management has also been directed to make them accountable for explanation which would be sent directly to the Akal Takht for further course of action,” he said.

Sources said the same couple was known for violating the Akal Takht edicts on a number of earlier occasions. He has performed a number of destination weddings by taking ‘saroop’ in planes, caring two hoots to the ‘maryada’.

In January 2005, the then Jathedar of the Akal Takht Joginder Singh Vedanti had issued a ‘hukumnama’ (edict) denouncing the same-sex marriages and urging the worldwide Sikh community not to allow such marriages to take place at any Gurdwara. Same-sex relationships were condemned as being anti-Sikh, with the concept of same-sex marriages originating “from sick minds” and being “anti-human”. 

Earlier, in January 2016, SGPC too was in a fix when Ontario Premier Kathleeen Wynne, who was openly gay and had declared her support to same-sex marriages, visited the Golden Temple. Her visit mired into controversy, but the SGPC claimed to refrain from honouring her with the traditional ‘siropa’ (robe of honour).