Eternality of 'Akal Takht' Emphasized; SAD Membership Drive Begins

Sikhs in California marked the Hola Mohalla (festival invoking Sikh preparations for battles) on 22 Mar at the Gurdwara Sacramento Sikh Society. Uppermost on everyone's mind was the recent sacking of Jathedars (leaders) from three Takhts (thrones). Talking about the framework for appointment of Jathedars, Harinder Singh, founder of Sikh Research Institute, New Jersey emphasized on understanding the importance of Akal Takht (Eternal Throne, AT). Historically, AT has operated under three core and basic principles: Independence, Supremacy, and Representative (of the entire Sikh community). AT belongs to no one group and must represent all 30 million Sikhs globally—70% in Panjab, 17% in Inspora (within India outside Panjab), and 13% in Diaspora—in the Sarbat Khalsa (Sikh plenary). AT cannot be under the jurisdiction of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) or the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and is not beholden to any laws or mandates of Sikh or non-Sikh political parties, organizations, institutions, states, or nations. The AT Jathedar can not be appointed by the SGPC or be an SGPC employee. Harinder urged all members of SGPC to pledge that the AT is independent of any political interference including by SGPC. Interestingly, on 25 Mar, before the Committee’s General Body Meeting on 28 Mar, more than 40 members of the SGPC made an application that the SGPC withdraw its orders of sacking the Jathedars of the three Takhts. On the framework, Thakur Dalip Singh, chief of a faction of the Namdharis (a Sikh sect) has proposed establishing the Panch Pardhani (five leaders) tradition and replacing the AT Jathedar. It must be noted here that Sikhs believe in the Guru Granth-Panth (co-Guruship of scripture-collective), Namdharis don’t. Meanwhile, the AT appointed committee has started the SAD membership drive but issues persist on the name of the party and where funds should be deposited.