In a major shake-up within the Sikh religious leadership, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday removed Giani Raghbir Singh from his position as Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism. The decision, taken during a meeting of the SGPC executive committee at Teja Singh Samundri Hall, also saw the removal of Giani Sultan Singh as Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib.
In their place, Sikh preacher Kuldeep Singh Gargaj has been appointed Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, with additional charge as the acting Jathedar of Akal Takht. Meanwhile, SGPC member Baba Tek Singh Dhanola has been named as the new Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib in Bathinda.
Giani Raghbir Singh, however, will continue to serve as the ‘head granthi’ of the Golden Temple, while Giani Sultan Singh has been reassigned as a ‘granthi’ at Harmandir Sahib.
The development comes in the backdrop of internal strife within the SGPC and SAD. Notably, all three Sikh Jathedars who had handed down a religious sentence to former Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and stripped Punjab’s former Chief Minister, late Parkash Singh Badal, of the ‘Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum’ title on December 2, 2023, have now been removed from their posts.
On that occasion, the Akal Takht had censured Sukhbir Badal and other SAD leaders for alleged misrule during their tenure from 2007 to 2017. A seven-member committee was also formed to restructure SAD, including initiating a membership drive and organizing leadership elections within six months. While SAD accepted the religious verdict, it opposed the membership drive, fearing deregistration by the Election Commission of India.
Sources suggested that Giani Raghbir Singh’s resistance to SGPC’s decision to remove Giani Harpreet Singh as Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib in February was a key factor in his dismissal. His objections reportedly contributed to the resignation of SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, whose resignation remains pending.
Senior SGPC leaders have alleged that Gianai Raghbir was making unilateral decisions without consulting the committee. Reports also claimed that he was traveling abroad without informing the SGPC. SGPC vice-president Raghujeet Singh stated that at a time when Sikh institutions were facing external threats and the Sikh identity was under pressure globally, Giani Raghbir’s actions were causing divisions rather than strengthening the panth.
Additionally, his response to key incidents affecting the Sikh community was criticized as weak, prompting the committee to take action against him.
New Leadership: Kuldeep Singh Gargaj and Tek Singh Dhanola
SGPC has now entrusted the leadership of two major Sikh institutions to new faces. Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, 40-year-old, has been appointed as Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib with additional charge of Akal Takht. He holds a master’s degree in history and has been serving as a preacher with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee for two decades. He is known for his deep understanding of Sikh scriptures and historical texts such as Sri Gurpratap Suraj Granth and Prachin Panth Prakash.
Gargaj has also been actively involved in social work, particularly in supporting orphaned Sikh children and ensuring their education and well-being. His appointment is seen as an attempt to bring a strong ideological and academic perspective to the leadership of Akal Takht.
Baba Tek Singh Dhanola, the newly-appointed Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, has had a politically active career. A former SGPC member and ex-district president of SAD (Barnala), he has been associated with multiple political factions, including Congress and SAD (Longowal), before aligning with the mainstream SAD in 2020. His appointment indicates an effort to maintain a balance between religious leadership and political dynamics within the SGPC.
