Amritsar, March 28 — The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) tabled a ₹1,386.47-crore budget for the 2025-26 financial year on Friday, marking a 10% increase from the previous year’s ₹1,260.97 crore. SGPC general secretary Sher Singh Mand presented the budget at the General House meeting held at Teja Singh Samundri Hall.
Meanwhile, Damdami Taksal and other Sikh organisations staged protests against the recent removal and appointment of Takht jathedars. Led by Damdami Taksal chief Baba Harnam Singh Dhuma, the demonstrators, including Nihang groups and representatives from the Delhi and Haryana Sikh Gurdwara management bodies, were stopped by police from reaching the SGPC headquarters. However, they managed to gather near the Golden Temple’s Heritage Street and staged a sit-in near Sri Guru Ram Das Jee Langer Hall.
Baba Harnam Singh condemned the SGPC’s decision, calling it a violation of Sikh maryada and Panthic principles. He demanded the reinstatement of the ousted jathedars, calling their removal an “anti-Panthic” move.
On March 7, the SGPC appointed Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj as the Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib with additional charge as acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, replacing Giani Raghbir Singh and Giani Sultan Singh. Similarly, Baba Tek Singh Dhanaula was appointed Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, replacing Giani Harpreet Singh, who was removed in February.
The newly appointed jathedars, including Giani Gargaj, did not attend the General House meeting.
