The controversy over allowing baptised Sikh women to allow any ‘seva’ inside sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple took another turn when Mr Raghbir Singh, personal assistant to the SGPC, Chief Bhai K.S. Badungar, who was manager of the Golden Temple at that time, claimed that the Sikh clergy had not issued any directive in this regard on February 9, 1996.
Prof Manjit Singh, the then Acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, told TNS that he and the then Jathedar Damdama Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh, had taken a jatha of baptised Sikh women to implement the directive of Sikh high priests and ensured that they (baptised Sikh women) were allowed to perform ‘seva’ inside the sanctum sanctorum at that time. However, Mr Raghbir Singh told The Tribune that the SGPC had never received such directive from the Sikh clergy for performing such ‘seva’ as he himself was manager of the Golden Temple at that time. (But The Tribune has procured the copy of the directive which was signed by all five Sikh high priests).
Interestingly, Prof Manjit Singh was honoured by the UN for taking initiative to end gender discrimination in the Golden Temple. Giving details of implementing the directive to allow Sikh women to perform ‘seva’, Prof Manjit Singh said that Bibi Inderjit Kaur Khalsa, wife of Bhai Harbhajan Singh Yogi, Bibi Amarjit Kaur of Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Mr Jaswinder Singh, advocate, an SGPC member and his wife and a jatha of American Sikh women had performed the ‘seva’. He said he had to face a lot of opposition by some orthodox persons for implementing the directive. Prof Manjit Singh said that it was unfortunate that Sikh women were later disallowed to perform the ‘seva’.
Replying to a question, Prof Manjit Singh said that the Sikh high priests had issued this directive after marathon meetings with various panthic organisations and taking the then SGPC Chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, into confidence. He said he had been pursuing Bibi Jagir Kaur, the then SGPC Chief and Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, the then General Secretary, SGPC, to mobilise public opinion to end gender discrimination in the Golden Temple. He said the Sikh tenets did not preach any gender discrimination and hence baptised Sikh women should be allowed to perform any ‘seva’ in the Golden Temple too.
On the other hand, as per Sikh traditions, the SGPC could be in dock for not implementing the directive of Akal Takht which had directed to allow Sikh women to perform ‘seva’ in the Golden Temple.
Text of directive.....
Following is the text of the directive issued by the Sikh clergy on February 9, 1996, for allowing baptised Sikh women to perform seva at the sanctum sanctorum.
There is no gender discrimination in Sikhism. Both men and women are treated equal as per Sikh tenets. Manager, Darbar Sahib, is hereby directed to implement the following directives to ensure that baptised Sikh women are allowed to perform seva in the Golden Temple.
The signatories to the directives include Prof Manjit Singh, the then acting Jathedar Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti and Giani Mohan Singh.