Desecration probe panel summons SGPC chief

Kirpal Singh Badungar.

The one-man Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice (retired) Ranjit Singh has summoned SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar in connection with its probe into the incident of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib in October 2015 at village Bargari in Faridkot, following which two protesters had died in police firing.

The Commission has asked the SGPC chief or his representative to appear before it on October 9 and submit all records on grant and withdrawal of the controversial pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

In its summons, the Commission has held that the pardon and its withdrawal, both within weeks of each other in 2015, has emerged as a “relevant factor” for arriving at a finding.

In 2007, the Akal Takht issued a hukamnama to the Sikh community to snap all ties with the Dera as Ram Rahim had allegedly imitated the tenth Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh. On September 24, 2015, the Akal Takht announced a pardon. There was a massive backlash to this from the community, and the Akal Takht hurriedly withdrew the pardon on October 16, 2015.

Meanwhile, torn pages of the Guru Granth Sahib were found in Bargari village on October 12, 2015. And two persons in the protests against the sacrilege were killed in police firing during a protest in Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015.

“During the examination of the evidence and material on record, the issue of grant of pardon to Head, Dera Sacha Sauda and the withdrawal of such pardon has emerged as one of the relevant factor for arriving at finding in regard to terms of the reference given to the Commission for the enquiry,” read summons asking Badungar or his representative to “appear in person”, The Indian Express has reliably learnt.

“The true and authentic version in this regard is possibly available in the record of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee only. This is an essential piece of evidence required by the Commission,” the summons read.

After the conviction of the dera head in a rape case, Akal Takht chief Giani Gurbachan Singh, while talking to The Indian Express, had claimed that Akal Takht never pardoned the dera chief. Various Sikh organisations had contested the claim of Akal Takht, also invoking the advertisements, reportedly worth over Rs 90 lakh, released by SGPC in connection with the pardon. SGPC had also passed a resolution to put its stamp of approval on the pardon by Akal Takht .

Even Akal Takht chief, in a statement on the day pardon was revoked, had said, “Keeping in view the sentiments of the community, the Sikh clergy decided to annul the earlier edict (of September 24, 2015) as the dera chief is not a real saint and his apology is not acceptable to the Akal Takht.”

The summons to the SGPC president also read: “In addition, the Commission also intends to suggest various measures to the government to safeguard the gurdwaras in the State to avoid occurrence of incidents of sacrilege in gurdwaras. For this purpose, it is important and essential to have suggestions from religious body of Sikhs the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.”

Earlier, in a letter addressed to SGPC secretary Roop Singh and Secretary, Akal Takht Secretariat, the Commission said it had decided to exchange views with representatives of SGPC and Akal Takht so as to suggest measures for various gurdwaras to check incidents of sacrilege. The Commission also sought copies of resolution granting pardon to dera head. In a response, SGPC wrote that “Akal Takht is supreme institution of Sikhs. As per tradition, Akal Takht Jathedar or his representative does not appear before a worldly court.”

A communication to SGPC secretary Roop Singh by the Commission noted that the Commission was “left with no option but to summon the President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee or his representative to authentically put all the details before the Commission.”

It noted that Commission chairman had recently visited Amritsar and despite assurance none from SGPC turned up to meet him.