Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) executive on Thursday authorised its President Avtar Singh Makkar to take a final call on the suspension of the five ‘Panj Pyaras’ after they courted controversy by summoning top Sikh clergy over the issue of pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
After a marathon meeting of the Executive Committee of the SGPC on Thursday, considered to be a mini-parliament of Sikh community, Makkar said, “The Committee has authosied him to take a final call on Panj Pyaras (five beloved religious preachers).” The Panj Pyaras have also been asked to explain their conduct by on Friday, he said. Top Sikh clergy was at loggerheads over the issue of pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, with five high priests including the Jathedar Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh being summoned by the ‘Panj Pyaras’, inviting their suspension by the SGPC on Wednesday. However, sources said that majority of the SGPC executive members were opposed to the suspension of Panj Pyaras by Makkar though no body came on record. The SGPC President maintained on Thursday that he was concerned of the people’s anger and demanded that action must be taken against the police officials responsible for killing of two Sikh protesters in Behbal Kalan village in Faridkot.