Is SGPC now retreating from politics?

By 

Randeep Wadehra

Apart from being ‘mini parliament’ of Sikhs the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee is a cash rich politico-religious entity has played a major role in the evolution of the Sikh society. With an annual budget of more than Rs 330 crore, the SGPC runs several hospitals, orphanages and educational institutions in Punjab and elsewhere, apart from spending on “dharam prachaar”. With this sort of financial and socio-religious clout it’s no wonder that the state’s two major political parties tried to get a stranglehold on the SGPC. However, due to historical reasons it remained more or less a handmaiden of the Shiromani Akali Dal, with Congress being the perennial spurned suitor. In fact it was the Akali led reformist movement during 1920s that culminated in the SGPC’s formation under the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925. Since then, the Akali Dal and SGPC have monopolized the Sikh political space, leaving secular parties, especially the Congress, with no option but to either resort to not-so-democratic machinations or best the Akalis in the panthic rhetoric. Both were attempted but with tragic consequences for the state as well as the country. During the 1980s several militant organizations tried to upstage the SGPC by repeatedly convening Sarbat Khalsa – a sort of general body meeting – to seek legitimacy for themselves. However, with return of normalcy today the organization has resumed its role as the supreme representative of the Sikh Panth, with Shiromani Akali Dal dominating the body that has 140 elected members, five head ministers and 15 co-opted members (20 seats are reserved for scheduled caste Sikhs).

However, going by the tone and tenor of the two panthic organizations today, the political climate is changing. Moving away from the sectarian rhetoric the Akali Dal under Sukhbir Singh Badal, has adopted development as its main political agenda. Power generation, education and building of infrastructure are getting a never-before priority in the state government’s budget. Even SGPC is refraining from going ballistic on such sensitive issues as the Dera Sacha Sauda controversy and the Congress attempts at setting up an independent Haryana Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. Instead, it is focusing on such issues as eradicating female feticide and promoting environmental rejuvenation in Punjab. Not that the panthic issues are being ignored, it’s just that these are being kept on the back-burner for now.

The longevity of this phase will depend upon the success of these programs as well as electoral benefits in future elections. After all the Akali Dal cannot afford to displease its constituency, viz., the rural Jat Sikhs, who form the backbone of its political superstructure.