AMRITSAR SAHIB (December 19, 2013)—You might have noticed that the kirtan duties posted on SGPC’s website do not match with the actual Jathas who performed kirtan this past week at Sri Harmandir Sahib and other shrines across Amritsar Sahib. Sikh24 has learned from trusted sources having proximity with a number of Darbar Sahib Ragi Jathas that those who have supported Bhai Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa have been reprimanded by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Although we cannot disclose the names of the jathas due to confidentiality, it is not surprising that the SGPC has made this decision.
A number of Ragi Jathas that had come forward to support Bhai Gurbaksh Singh have now taken a back seat in the movement. Perhaps this is the reason why the absence of prominent Kirtanis and Kathavachiks has been evident at Gurdwara Amb Sahib since November 14.
The SGPC is the apex Gurdwara management committee that oversees control of most historical Gurdwaras across Punjab. The SGPC has in the past few decades been operated directly by the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). The past two presidents of SGPC – Avtar Makkar and Jagir Caur were notoriously chosen directly with Badal’s interference.
Although not SGPC employees, many other ragis and preachers have decided to not support Bhai Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa for other reasons.
While Sikh preachers have distanced themselves from their Panthik duties, a number of prominent Punjabi singers, actors and other artists have continued to visit Bhai Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa at Gurdwara Amb Sahib. Although these people are not practicing Sikhs, they have demonstrated that the seed of Sikhi exists in every heart in Punjab.
Bhai Gurbaksh Singh started his hunger strike on November 14th to free Sikh political prisoners who have completed their court mandated sentences.