Responding to the summons by Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne, AT), Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said he would go barefoot to appear before the AT secretariat, on 15 Jan. Mann has also posted on X that the worldwide Sikh community wants to witness the proceedings at the secretariat. He said, ‘Keeping their sentiment in mind, I request the Jathedar (leader) to allow live transmission of my submission so it can be telecast on all television channels.’ AT Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj has rejected the request, stating that there was no precedent of live-streaming or telecasting proceedings held inside the secretariat. Such proceedings are recorded only for official purposes. While summoning Mann, Jathedar Gargajj had called him a patit (apostate). The Sehajdhari Sikh Party (SSP) has said Mann is not a patit but a Sehajdhari Sikh (a person who slowly adopts the Sikh faith), arguing that since Mann is not an initiated Sikh he has not committed a transgression by maintaining shorn hair. Meanwhile, Panjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond and Chief Khalsa Diwan president and Aam Aadmi Party Member of Legislative Assembly Inderbir Singh Nijjar appeared at the AT on 5 Jan. Sond gave his reasons as to why in a painting at Bhai Jeevan Singh Memorial, Anandpur Sahib, the tenth Sikh Sovereign Guru Gobind Singh was shown wearing shoes while initiating Bhai Jaita. Concurrently, in the case related to 328 missing Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh charter and scripture) saroop (tome), the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had said it will neither extend cooperation to the police administration nor provide any records. However, on 12 Jan, AT Jathedar Gargajj said, 'In view of the confusion being created among the sangat (Sikh community) the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami is hereby authorized to extend due cooperation to the government.’ The Jathedar said that if the government requires any information from the SGPC it can be sought at the SGPC’s Chandigarh sub-office in the presence of SGPC president. He also said that the Ishar Singh Commission report clearly names 16 accused and the SGPC has already taken departmental action against them (earlier coverage).
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