Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, resigns from his post

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Giani Gurbachan Singh, the Jathedar of Shri Akal Takht Sahib, announced his resignation from his post late in the evening. He forwarded his resignation today to the head of the Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee and also send one email to the media. In the letter, the Jathedar expressed his inability to serve citing poor health and old age.

Singh had created a controversy by pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a blasphemy case after which he faced a massive backlash from within the community. The Dera chief was pardoned in September 2015.

In a statement written in Punjabi and issued through his personal assistant Satinderpal Singh, the Jathedar urged the SGPC president and executive to find a better replacement and asked permission to step down.

Many Sikh bodies were reportedly unhappy with Giani Gurbachan Singh and were seeking his removal. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) which controls the SGPC had also demanded that the Jathedar be replaced.

According to local media reports, the SAD high command has already started looking for a suitable candidate to replace the Jathedar but the search is taking time as many potential Jathedars with strong panthic credentials are not willing to take up the post as they believe that the Badals influence the functioning of the Akal Takht, one of five takhts (seats of power) of the Sikhs.

However, many sections are seeing his resignation as an open rebellion against the Badals who have a say in the functioning of the Akal Takht. The Badal family was also criticised for his alleged role in granting pardon to the controversial Dera chief.