Giani Harpreet Singh, who had been working as acting Jathedar of Akal Takht for the past four-and-a-half years, has resigned from his post. He was replaced by Giani Raghbir Singh at the post by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday.

While reasons behind the sudden resignations of Giani Harpreet Singh are not yet known, reports claim that he faced criticism from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leadership for attending the engagement ceremony of Raghav Chadda, an AAP leader. This incident provided an opportunity for anti-Jathedar factions to intensify their efforts to remove him from his position.

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However, sources revealed that the issue was not the primary cause of the confrontation between Giani Harpreet and the SGPC. Instead, a section of SAD leaders openly expressed their discontent over his failure to take action against officials of the Haryana Gurdwaras Management Committee for demanding handover of management of the Haryana Gurdwaras to them as expected by the SGPC.

The appointment of Giani Harpreet Singh as the Acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht had come as a surprise. Despite the fact that his position was not officially confirmed, Giani Harpreet proved his mettle after assuming the role.

A notable incident that showcased his resilience was his refusal to heed to the constant calls of a radical preacher, Amritpal Singh, who requested for a Sarbat Khalsa, the highest assembly of Sikhs, to address a particular issue. Amritpal even insinuated that Giani Harpreet’s reluctance was due to alleged influence from a specific family, the Badals, further complicating matters.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, in a rare move, criticised the Akal Takht head for advocating the release of numerous individuals apprehended during the Amritpal controversy.

During the standoff between the Akali Dal and the BJP over the contentious farm laws, Giani Harpreet maintained his independent stance. While the Akali Dal severed ties with the BJP, the Jathedar commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi when the laws were eventually withdrawn.

Giani Harpreet expressed concern about certain groups within the anti-farm laws movement attempting to distance themselves from Sikh values, heritage, and unity with other communities. He acknowledged the potential ramifications of portraying the agitation as a conflict between Sikhs and the Indian government or Hindus. Consequently, he thanked the Central government and PM Modi for averting a potentially significant crisis.

Giani Harpreet Singh’s tenure as Jathedar of the Akal Takht took an interesting turn following the agitation against farm laws, as he began to display a different attitude towards the BJP and the issue of separatism. This transformation was particularly significant considering his perceived affiliation with the Akali Dal, with the additional fact that he belonged to a Dalit family from Muktsar, the stronghold of the Badals.

In recent times, certain leaders within the Akali Dal grew envious of Giani Harpreet’s rise and had started accusing him of having close ties with the BJP. Notably, the president of the Akali Dal’s Delhi unit openly criticised him, highlighting the perceived influence of the BJP over the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.

The Akali Dal leaders cited instances such as Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Giani Harpreet at the Akal Takht office and the reported communication between him and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who serves as the BJP Punjab in-charge to prove their point.

Observers recognised Giani Harpreet’s ability to swiftly adapt to his role, taking advantage of his relative anonymity and lack of preconceived expectations when he replaced the unpopular Giani Gurbachan Singh as Jathedar. During this time, he was pursuing a PhD in comparative religion from Punjabi University in Patiala. This relative obscurity helped him gain support from anti-Badal factions within the SGPC, and his efforts to establish connections with jathedars appointed by the Sarbat Khalsa, who posed challenges to his authority and that of the SGPC, earned him goodwill.

Giani Harpreet received praise outside the Sikh community for his appeals to Sikhs to aid Kashmiri Muslim girls stranded in various parts of North India following the abrogation of Article 370. He grabbed attention by voicing his opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), citing concerns about its discriminatory nature towards Muslims.