AKAL TAKHAT PANJ PIARAS DISTINCT FROM STREET PYARAS

AKAL TAKHAT PANJ PIARAS DISTINCT FROM STREET PYARAS

Where ever the Guru lived that place became the headquarter of Sikhs.  The first such Centre was Kartarpur sahib (Ravi). Later it got shifted to Khadoor sahib then Goindwal sahib,  Ramdaspur (Amritsar) and then Anandpur sahib.

During the days of Nanak the VI, need of a place was felt where the Sikhs could gather to discuss political, social and miscellaneous issues that confronted the Sikh society from time to time. The Guru thus raised a building which was later came to be known as Akal Takhat i.e the centre of Miri the political power while Harmander the Golden Temple the centre of piri the  spiritualism was already there.

After the Tenth Guru bestowed guruship on Granth sahib Amritsar became the headquarter or capital of Sikhism again because the Granth sahib stood already ceremoniously installed by the V Guru. Mind it in the absence of printing press there were few beeds the copies of the holy book available.

  Guru Granth the holy book is to be interpreted by Beloved Five the Panj Pyaras. Thus advice of Gurbani interpreted by Panj Pyaras who have offered their head to Panth and who are regularly in touch with Gurbani to keep their five evils of kam, krodh, lobh, moh and ahankar i.e the urge of sex, anger, greed, attachment and pride (collectively known as 'haumen' the ego) under check. (Sikhism believes that if a person eradicates his haumen the ego he stands merged with formless God.)

Making arrangements for future the Tenth Master would often give training to Sikhs as to how to confront the days to day issues. He made Panj Pyaras as supreme power. There are examples when Guru was himself penalized (awarded tankhah) by Panj Pyaras.

There are examples in history how the Sikh emperor Maharaja Ranjit Singh was punished by Panj Pyaras led by Akali Phoola Singh. We would here in after call the Panj Piaras of Akal Takhat the Real Panj Piaras or RPP for convenience and distinction.

In an effort to redefine their territory the greedy and over enthusiast politicians in the post 1947  years changed the constitution of Panj Pyara and included such granthis  from other far flung Indian places like Patna Sahib in Bihar, Hajur Sahib in Maharashtra and Anandpur sahib and Dam Dama sahib. They believed as if Akal Takhat Panj Pyaras had no powers beyond Amritsar while according to tradition the Akal Takhat Panj Pyaras were the real panch pardhan of entire Sikh nation. The Sikhs didn't object to the new constitution.  For convenience we will call them Political Panj Piaras (PPP).

Slowly such granthis came to be appointed as PPP who were considered faithful to the person who had control over the SGPC the Sikh elected body for management of historical Sikh shrines. Yet the order of PPP were faithfully obeyed by the Sikh nation. Will any body believe that influential quarters got person like Darshan Singh Ragi appointed to the PPP who is now openly opposing the Sikh concepts. Some Sikhs had objected to his nomination for they knew that Ragi was under influence of Govt of India.

India believed that this institution of Panj Pyaras was a parallel power-centre within India beyond Delhi. Also they believed that SGPC was a parallel Parliament. These two institutions thus became an eye sore for Delhi. India thus adopted a secret programme to first dilute these power centres and then finally finish them.

They first found a helping hand in Gurcharan Singh Tohra the head of SGPC. The democratic character was first annihilated. The Govt avoided annual elections of SGPC for 27 years to keep Tohra in saddle. Even those elected in the last term were not allowed to meet. Tohra would invite the general assembly once a year for an hour just to get Executive body nominated. Yet the Sikh nation tolerated it and obeyed the directive whenever it was issued. Through Tohra the Govt managed to get its own Jathedar appointed to the holy team of PPP.

But Tohra was a clever politician. Many a times the Govt might have wanted to give final blow to finish SGPC but Tohra managed to get it postponed every time. Similarly when the Congress was in power in Punjab they would use their influence to avoid that harsh blow in view of electoral reasons.

Around 2000 the Govt agencies through RSS created an organization on papers called Sehajdhari Federation. A case in High Court was filed seeking voting rights for such Sikhs who would not necessarily have intact hair and turban. The real idea was to get voting rights for non-Sikhs read Hindus. So that these institutions are finished and separate identity of Sikhs annihilated. The RSS had already got its secret supporters appointed in the SGPC executive. It appears that RSS made them agree to put forth a weak defence in the court so that the Sehajdhari could win. And it so happened. A case was also filed that the press be prevented to highlight this issue. They gave the plea that otherwise it would give impetus to separatism and thus militancy.  The old house was asked to manage the SGPC as a caretaker body.

Notwithstanding, in Sept. 2011 the Govt held election to constitute SGPC. The results were announced but the Govt refused to issue notification to constitute the house in view of the court verdict.

The SGPC technically appealed to the Supreme Court. The present head would naturally not wish that the verdict comes soon and it takes years in Supreme Court if both the parties are willing to delay the verdict. Thus democratic character of SGPC is finished.

CM Badal who is only faithful to his chair,family and RSS asked the elected members of SGPC to keep mum on the issue. As a result of which non of its about 190 members ever opened his mouth on non recognition of elected members. To keep them happy  they were allotted one or two shrines to interfere in their management without any written order. It thus amounts to bribe to silence an elected member. And it is going on since 2011. Thus the elected members have been made irrelevant. Now the ground is cleared to make the SGPC a board where the members would be nominated by Govt instead of election by Sikh sangat. So SGPC is finished.

But before it is finished formally the RSS got its one of the members appointed as the next head after President of SGPC. That too at a very high record salary.

The next institution on target was Panj Piaras (PPP). Quite often the Govt through its influences got damaging and sometimes non-sense hukamnamas the promulgations issued. Will any Sikh believe that the Panj Piaras not once but twice thrice issued firman that no new gurdwara be established. As a result of which the Akali leaders even started laying foundation stones of churches. As a matter of fact the Panj Piaras are the conscience of Sikh Sangat the congregation engaged in Naam the praises to God. Thus the order issued by Panj Piaras is considered as the order of Sangat. Naturally the Piaras are supposed to issue verdict on such issue which are widely debated upon in the sikh masses.

With BJP at the Centre and obedient Akali Govt in the state, the agencies became furious. May be they believed 'now or never'.

Already head of a Sikh sect at Sirsa had openly defied Sikhism to please RSS so that he can save himself from the criminal cases he was facing. There are about 6 murder cases, some rape cases and one case where some resident youth of the Dera were got sterile through surgery. The Sikhs always take any attack on humanity as an attack on Sikhism. Thus open confrontation started between the dera followers and Sikhs.

For RSS Now was the right time to act. It planned a strategy.

A hukamnama was got issued by the PPP exonerating the dera head. There was thus open resentment by the Sikhs against such a hukamnama.

Hukamnama issued against establishment of
a new Gurdwara. Here the Jathedars falsely
claim that the issue has been debated upon.
This is one example how unjustified firman were
got issued through PPP the political Panj
piaras.

Giving fuel to the fire, at various places the Sikh holy book Guru Granth sahib was got desecrated in phased and planned manner. It was got done in such a manner that gave the impression that the Dera was behind this. Police could nab some men who did this crime but refused to go to the root of it. The senior officers like the SSPs would themselves intervene in the cases and stop further investigation.

The Sikh nation thus protested at the hukamnama issued by PPP and the wide spread resentment pricked the conscience of the real Panj Pyaras of Akal Takhat (RPP). They issued a hukamnama on Oct. 20, 2015 asking the SGPC to relieve PPP who had issued a firman in favour of Sirsa Dera Head. It is suspected may be some vested interests persuaded the otherwise dormant RPP to act to create confusion.

The SGPC thus suspended them because it was a challenge to the PPP who were used by SGPC many a times before. Also it was well known that the PPP would issue hukamnama on the orders from political bosses. Thus the political boss will try to defend them to any extent. Due to protests by Sikh masses the SGPC reinstated the RPP.

But again the RPP issued a hukamnama asking the authorities to relieve the PPP members by Dec. 31. 2015 or else RPP would issue further directive. The SGPC immediately dismissed the services of RPP members.

SGPC head Avtar Singh Makkarh and Sukhbir Badal issued statements that SGPC head is qualified to sack the RPP. Sukhbir even issued a statement that Piaras like RPP are there in every street gurdwara whose power is only to administer pahul 'Amrit Chhakauna'. We therefore humbly say that the Panj Piaras from the axis of Sikhism are different from village/street Panj Piaras. Also those engaged in administration of Pahul, who recite gurbani before any verdict are the real panch pardhan as compared to PPP who would issue hukamnamas at the instance of politicians. Thus SGPC has no power or right to sack RPP under such circumstances. Besides the present body of SGPC is a care taker one and not elected one. It absolutely has no right to interfere in such issues which pertain to interpretation of basic Sikh tenets. We also wish to convey that even the gali/mohalla/village Panj Piaras are no less important if they act accordance to Gurbani and wishes of sangat engaged in naam.


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