Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday condemned the dismissals of the Akal Takht and the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib jathedars, saying it seemed to be an act of "badlakhori".
He also blamed the Akali leadership for the unceremonious removal of the two jathedars (head priests).
The Akal Takht in Amritsar and the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib of Rupanagar district are two of the five seats of temporal authority in Sikhism.
Mann's reaction came a day after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the organisation responsible for the management of gurdwaras, removed Giani Raghbir Singh from the post of Akal Takht jathedar and Giani Sultan Singh as jathedar of the Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib.
The SGPC has appointed Sikh scholar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gadgaj as the new jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib. He will additionally serve as the acting jathedar of Akal Takht -- the highest temporal seat of Sikhs -- until an appointment is made.
Reacting to the development, Mann said, "This is a religious matter. What should have happened is that politics (should) learn from religion. But what is happening is that politics is teaching religion."
Speaking on the sidelines of an event, Mann also demanded holding general elections to the SGPC.
Referring to Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, including Sukhbir Singh Badal, the chief minister said, "You accepted all your mistakes and even undertook 'tankhah (religious punishment)'. Now, you say 'we will remove the jathedars'. It seems an act of badlakhori (vengeance)."
In a statement later, Mann said the development had bruised the psyche of the entire Sikh community and added it would never forgive the Akali leadership.
The trend of "picking and removing" jathedars from the pocket of these "rejected leaders" reflects the sorry state of affairs, he added.
The Akalis had indulged in "theatrics by apologising for their sins", he said.
Jathedars are highly revered by the entire Sikh community and this type of behaviour with them is unwarranted and undesirable, he further said.
Ironically, the validity of the SGPC's executive committee, which removed the jathedars, expired around a decade ago as polls have not been held for a long time, Mann pointed out.
He urged the government of India to immediately conduct the elections so that the state's gurdwaras could be freed from "modern-day mahants".
The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, on December 2 had pronounced religious punishment for Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, including Badal, for "mistakes" committed by the party and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
Giani Raghbir Singh, Giani Sultan Singh and Giani Harpreet Singh were part of the five Singh Sahibans (clergy) that had pronounced the edict.
Giani Harpreet Singh was removed as the jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib on February 10.
The SGPC had on Friday said Giani Raghbir Singh's leadership of the Akal Takht was deemed "inadequate in guiding the 'panth (community)'" in the face of growing challenges and his "inconsistent approach weakened the 'panthic' unity".
Giani Harpreet Singh called the dismissals a "black day" for the Sikh community.
Several political leaders also criticised the move, saying some leaders had "openly challenged" the Akal Takht for "political interests."