Perturbed over the mode of functioning of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the Gurdwara Sudhar Lehar Management Committee (GSL) has called for overhauling the apex body of the Sikhs and setting up of a panel of Sikh experts to fix norms for the appointment, powers and removal of the Jathedar of Akal Takht.

Painting Parkash Singh Badal black, the organizers of the GSL-2 released the White Paper on the mismanagement and malfeasance of the SGPC at Akal Takht on Nov 25.

Pointing out clearly that the SGPC has failed to achieve the basic purpose of religious propagation which had resulted in apostasy in large numbers, the White Paper has emphasized the need of structural and organizational changes in the SGPC to overcome the shortcomings that have plagued the institution.

In the strongly worded document released jointly by Simranjit Singh Mann, Satnam Singh Paonta Sahib, Bhai Mokham Singh, Bhai Daljit Singh, Kanwar Pal Singh and Bhai Rajinder Singh, the functioning of the SGPC has been dubbed as “totally and fundamentally undemocratic and contrary to time-honoured Sikh ethos and religious traditions”.

Taking a dig at SAD (Badal) for throwing Sikh principles to wind, the organizers of the Gurdwara Sudhar Lehar II had labeled Badal as a descendent of “Mahant Narainoo” who unleashed terror on devotee Sikhs to keep the shrines under his control. “Parkash Singh Badal while vesting all powers into his hands has “undermined the authority of Akal Takht Sahib, degraded Sikh religious authority, corrupted the Sikh polity, joined ranks with anti-Sikh organizations like the RSS and has uncared for any criticism or breach of the sentiments of the Sikh people”, is the crux of the document titled, “Koorr Phire Pardhan Ve Lalo” (meaning dark deeds are paramount and dominating).

The White Paper reads like a social and management audit of the working of the SGPC. Spread over 16 chapters, the document lists the Panthic issues pending before the SGPC and the Akal Takht and also a number of complaints against the Badal and his coterie for violating the maryada. 

Perhaps the first ever critical analysis of the working of the SGPC, the document has been compiled and edited by Prof. Jagmohan Singh, spokesperson of the SAD (Amritsar) & Kanwarpal Singh, general secretary of the Dal Khalsa.  In a significant development, heads of all parties forming part of the Gurdwara Sudhar Lehar II, which came into being on August 4, have put up an appeal urging the Sikh Sangat to launch a non-cooperation movement against the SGPC leaders, “in order to liberate the Gurdwaras from the neo-Mahants.”

We have found that though the SGPC annually holds two sessions of the general house, but hardly any matter related to the Sikh Panth has ever been tabled for debate and discussion. This is one reason that the SGPC has not been successful in addressing various challenges before the Sikh religion, write Prof Jagmohan Singh and Kanwar Pal Singh in their joint editorial note. The mode of distribution of tickets, increased politicization of the institution, massive deterioration in the management affairs were assessed to be the reasons for the denigration of this august body of the Sikhs.

While heavily criticizing the autocratic function of the “all-powerful” Badal, the White Paper lists 18 cases pending before the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission regarding misappropriation of Gurdwara funds by various presidents of the SGPC. These cases have been mostly filed by SGPC secretary Raghbir Singh, Baldev Singh Sirsa, an executive member of the SAD (A) and Dr Manjinder Singh.

Making a scathing attack on the budgeting procedures adopted by the SGPC, the White Paper demands that a complete review and audit of the budget of the last two decades must be carried out.