'Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib answerable to Panth, not to trimmed-beard CM': Acting Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj
PTC News Desk: A day after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann raised questions about Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the Shiromani Committee, and the Shiromani Akali Dal, the acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, responded today. He said that a clean-shaven and trimmed-beard Chief Minister is not someone to whom the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib is answerable.
He said that today the entire Sikh community is celebrating the centenary event at Sri Anandpur Sahib, and if the Guru’s community asks any questions, then the Jathedar is answerable only to the Guru’s Panth.
Jathedar Gargaj added that many governments have come and gone, but they have never cared about governments. He said, “For us, the real government is the government of Guru Kalgidhar.” On this occasion, SGPC president Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami and SGPC member Bhai Amarjeet Singh Chawla were also present.
What did CM Mann say?
Earlier on Thursday, CM Mann had questioned the legitimacy of of acting Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, alleging that his appointment “did not follow proper maryada (religious code) and was politically influenced”.
CM Mann's remarks came days after Acting Jathedar Gargaj reprimanded Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh for allegedly violating Sikh maryada (code of conduct) during a cultural performance at Anandpur Sahib.
- PTC NEWS
