Clash of the titans

The relationship between the SGPC and the Akali Dal has always been symbiotic. The SGPC is an elected body of the Sikhs which manages and administers all gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. It is a statutory body constituted under a central legislation which assigns this role to theSGPC.

The Akali Dal, on the other hand, is a political party which is at present the ruling party in Punjab. But what makes the `porridge’ hot is the clout — both religious and financial — of the SGPC. The SGPC controls the funds received by the gurdwaras in Punjab. Crucial to Sikh politics is the control over the gurdwaras and over the finances. This ensures that the SGPC becomes the fulcrum of Sikh politics.

The Akali Dal, on the other hand, contests the elections for the SGPC general house and always wins. The Congress and the communists in Punjab have also tried their luck at the SGPC elections, yet they have never made it.

In 1954, the Congress had just three members as compared to 110 of the Akali Dal, while in 1960 they had four compared to 133 of the Akali Dal. In the present general house too, the SGPC is almost wholly controlled by the Akali Dal.

“The circumstances that led to the formation of the SGPC and the Akali Dal are the same,” says Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon, Professor of Historyat the Panjab University and author of many books on Sikh affairs. The Singh Sabha movement, which began in 1873 in Punjab, led to an awakening among the Sikhs who realised that their gurdwaras were being controlled by the mahants, who had the support of the British. The agitation for the control of the gurdwaras drew support from the national freedom struggle also, with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru also joining one Jaito Ka Morcha.

A meeting was held on November 15, 1920 after the Akal Takht issued a hukumnama (literally meaning royal order) directing Sikhs to meet and decide on the issue of management of gurdwaras. A committee of 175 members was formed and was called the SGPC, although it was accorded legal sanction by the British five years later.

At the very first meeting of the committee held at the Akal Takht, it was decided a small band of persons called Gurdwara Sewak Dal would be created to assist the SGPC in gurdwara reform. On January 23, 1921 it was renamed the Akali Dal and on March 22, 1922,again renamed as the Shiromani Akali Dal. Within a few years, it became a strong political organisation of the Sikhs.

While the circumstances which led to the creation of the two organisations are the same, it is not the first time that the president of the SGPC and the president of the Akali Dal have confronted each other. Also, there have been occasions when Akali leaders fought in the SGPC.

In 1962, for instance, the Akali Dal was divided into two factions, one led by Sant Fateh Singh and the other by Master Tara Singh. Sant Fateh Singh emerged victorious both in Akali Dal and in the SGPC. He had 95 SGPC members on his side while Master Tara Singh had only 36, indicating the balance of power.

Now, appeals are being made by various sections of the community to the Jathedar of the Akal Takht to intervene in the fight between the SGPC president and the Akali Dal president. They say the infighting is harmful to the community.

The Akal Takht has intervened in political matters and has issued hukumnamasin this regard. The Akal Takht was raised in 1606 by the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer in his book on the Akal Takht states that the first hukumnana was issued by the sixth Sikh Guru himself asking Sikhs to bring horses and arms as offering to him.

The Akal Takht was created right opposite to the Golden Temple with a view to emphasise the coexistence of Miri (temporal authority) and Piri (spiritual authority), writes K.S.Duggal, in his book The Akal Takht. He adds that while the Golden temple stood for spiritual pursuits, the Akal Takht symbolises temporal pursuits. He states that the sixth Sikh Guru would grace the Akal Takht and would attend to problems relating to property disputes and social conflicts. Two flags are hoisted at the Akal Takht, indicating the coexistence of both Miri and Piri.

After the era of the Sikh Gurus, the Akal Takht has been looked upon for guidance in all issues. It has routinely issued hukumnamas which are meant to be observed by thecommunity. It was a hukumnana of the Akal Takht that led to the creation of the SGPC. In 1879, a hukumnama asked Sikhs to felicitate and cooperate with the Singh Sabha movement. In 1920, another hukumnama praised the heroics of the Sikh passengers of Komagata Maru.

There have been incidents where the political leadership has been censured by the Akal Takht. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh decided to marry Gulbahar Begum, he was advised to have her converted to Sikhism. He did not heed to the advise and was awarded a punishment. The then chief of the Akal Takht, Akali Phoola Singh, was to administer the punishment of inflicting lashes on the bare back. Ranjit Singh submitted himself before the Takht, and later the punishment was converted into a fine.

Former chief minister Surjit Singh Barnala was also awarded punishment and he was asked to perform sewa (voluntary service) at the gurdwaras. Eminent Akali politicians, Sant Fateh Singh and Master Tara Singh, and academicians like Piar Singh have submittedthemselves to penance awarded by the Akal Takht.

While almost all scholars agree that the Akal Takht is the supreme temporal and spiritual authority among the Sikhs, Dilgeer writes: “On a spiritual horizon, he (Jathedar of the Akal Takht) is still different from the Roman Catholic Pope as Pontiff because Sikh polity believes in democracy even in religious functioning.”

The present imbroglio is reminiscent of the 1979 tussle among the Akalis. Some even say that history is repeating itself as the key players are the same. Then the SGPC president Tohra and president of the Akali Dal Jasdev Singh Talwandi submitted their resignations to the Jathedar of the Akal Takht. They also made a petition to the Akal Takht and accused the then chief minister Badal of harming the interests of the Sikhs.

The clergy intervened and the panj piaras (literally the five beloved ones, here the five jathedars) asked the presidents of the SGPC and Akali Dal to withdraw their resignations. They also directed the formation of acommittee to allot seats for the Lok Sabha polls.

Now too, the question is: will the clergy intervene?