Petitioner invokes Granth Sahib in land case

It may appear strange but a petitioner named Guru Granth Sahib is fighting a legal battle against the State of Punjab and the Divisional Forest Officer, Patiala, in a land dispute case filed in a local court.

The petition has been filed by ‘Guru Granth Sahib’ through Sudhar Sabha Sheesh Mahal Colony, Patiala. One Prem Singh is the president of Sudhar Sabha Sheesh Mahal Colony.

The State of Punjab wants the petition to be dismissed to get back the possession of disputed 13,000 square yards, which it claims has been “usurped by some locals”.

The petitioner has asserted that the land belonged to a gurdwara, while the Forest Division claimed that it was theirs.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Avtar Singh Makkar is obviously upset.

“Guru Granth Sahib is the most revered name for Sikhs and no one can dare to take the holy book to court.

On every hearing pertaining to the said case, the bailiff summons the holy book like any other plaintiff. The petitioner had lost the case in 2005, but challenged the order in a higher court.

As per records, the Civil Judge, Junior Division, dismissed the case in favour of defendants in March 2005. “However, the petitioner, Guru Granth Sahib in this case, filed the case in the higher court, which will now come up for hearing in the court of Additional Session Judge, Patiala, on October 13,” said Patiala Divisional Forest Officer K S Jattana. “As a Sikh I feel sad that some unscrupulous elements have used the name of Guru Granth Sahib,” he told The Indian Express.

On the other hand, Prem Singh said, “We consider Guru Granth Sahib as the living guru. As the forest officials were trying to evict the guru, the holy book was made the petitioner.”