Jathedar Asks Community To Identify Those Challenging Akal Takht S Authority

Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj on Tuesday said that the community to identify those who, “under the influence of power”, are challenging the highest Sikh temporal seat to hide their “misdeeds and immoral acts.”

Addressing a function marking the birth anniversary of sixth Sikh Master, Guru Hargobind, who established Akal Takht, Giani Gargaj also called upon the community to strengthen its bond with Guru Granth Sahib and the Panth and inspire the younger generation to embrace the Guru’s principles.

“Akal Takht Sahib is the Guru’s own throne, and all forces that challenged its authority have been consigned to the pages of history. We should identify the forces or people who, under the influence of power, challenge Akal Takht to hide their misdeeds and immoral acts,” the jathedar said, without naming anyone.

His remarks came a day after Akal Takht issued a strict one-month ultimatum to all Sikh MLAs of Punjab to remove objectionable clauses from the recently enacted Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. The directive followed a two-hour hearing, where 87 legislators cutting across party lines — including the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — appeared before the five Sikh high priests to explain the lack of community consultation prior to the Bill’s passage in April.

Passed by the Punjab assembly on April 13 and subsequently assented to by the governor, the new law amends the 2008 principal Act to provide for a term of up to life imprisonment and fines up to ₹20 lakh for criminal conspiracy in desecrating the “saroop” of Guru Granth Sahib. However, the Act also contains some clauses that did not go well with the Akal Takht and other Sikh organisations.

On June 15, the Sikh clergy issued a decree calling upon the Sikh community to socially ostracise chief minister Bhagwant Mann over an alleged objectionable viral video. The AAP, however, questioned the legitimacy of the video, with Mann labelling it “fake”, and later claiming an imposter in a mask was used in a “political conspiracy to defame him.”

The jathedar urged everyone in the community to remain united under the leadership of Akal Takht.

Dhami meets Sikh leaders ahead of July 5 gathering

Meanwhile, in line with the decree issued by Akal Takht against Mann, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami and Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Tek Singh Dhanaula met with leaders of various Sikh organisations and seminaries ahead of the scheduled gathering at Gurdwara Manji Sahib Diwan Hall in Golden Temple complex on July 5. Formal invitations for the gathering were handed over during the meetings, where discussions focused on the challenges facing Sikh institutions and other Panthic issues, an SGPC spokesperson said.

Separately, radical organisation Dal Khalsa announced that it will hold a gathering on July 4 in Amritsar to deliberate on evolving a consensus on a code of conduct for the appointment of jathedars.

Surjit Singh is a correspondent. He covers politics and agriculture, besides religious affairs and Indo-Pak border in Amritsar and Tarn Taran.