In a development which could have far-reaching consequences on Sikh politics in Punjab and elsewhere, the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, on Wednesday excommunicated from the community a Haryana minister and two Sikh leaders for "dividing and trying to weaken the Sikhs" and assisting formation of separate SGPC for Haryana to manage gurdwaras there.
Haryana Finance Minister HS Chattha and Sikh leaders Jagdish Singh Jhinda and Didar Singh Nalvi were excommunicated from the community after Amritsar-based SGPC urged the Akal Takht to take an action as per religious code of conduct against the Sikh leaders who "defied both the apex religious body and the supreme temporal seat of the community."
“The Executive Committee of the SGPC had sent an appeal today. We also took into consideration appeals from the Sant Samaj, different Sikh Sangats and other bodies of the community and excommunicated Chattha, Nalwi and Jhinda,” Akal Takht Jathedar Gyani Gurbachan Singh said.
“We had appealed to Sri Akal Takht today on the issue. We brought to its notice the act of the Haryana government to go ahead and pass a bill in its legislative Assembly despite strong opposition from various quarters including SGPC and the Akal Takht.
"The Sikh leaders from Haryana that include Chattha, Nalwi and Jhinda (who spearheaded the campaign for separate SGPC) lend their all out support (for separate Haryana SGPC) and participated at every step and thus they are guilty of the community,” SGPC General Secretary Sukhdev Singh Bhaur said.
When contacted, Nalwi said that he was yet to receive any communication about the step and would comment only after being "officially informed". Two days back, Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia had given his assent to a bill passed by state Assembly for the formation of a separate body to manage gurdwaras there.
Besides, several Sikh bodies, Punjab's ruling party Shiromani Akali Dal had slammed Haryana's move terming it as "Congress' nefarious design to weaken and divide the community".
Bhaur said the Haryana Sikh leaders had remained adamant on breaking away from the Amritsar-based SGPC by forming a separate body. He said that they had even rejected the Akal Takht's appeal, asking them "not to become partners in feud of anti-Panthic forces to create a wedge in the community.
Jathedar Akal Takhat Giani Gurbachan Singh said they will remain excommunicated as long as they do not approach the Akal Takht and ask for forgiveness. The decision was taken in the meeting of five Sikh high priests on Wednesday.
On being asked how they could be pardoned, Jathedar said that first they have to appear before the Akal Takht like humble Sikhs to undergo religious punishment and thereafter they could be pardoned otherwise nobody in the Sikh community as well in Sikh politics would keep any relations and deal with them.