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Gurbani telecast: Don’t meddle in SGPC affairs, Dhami tells CM
The SGPC chief’s remark came after CM urged the gurdwara body to allow telecast of Gurbani at Golden Temple on other platforms
CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR: Hours after Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to allow the telecast of Gurbani at the Golden Temple on various communication platforms, the apex gurdwara body on Thursday suggested him not to meddle in its affairs.
SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said the CM should refrain from interfering in the management of the Golden Temple. “Running a government and managing religious affairs are different. We both have our own set of responsibilities,” Dhami said.
He clarified that the SGPC has already constituted a seven-member committee following the March 30 Akal Takht direction to the apex gurdwara body to launch its own channel for the live telecast of Gurbani worldwide.
Earlier in the day, the CM urged the SGPC to allow the state government to install advanced broadcast/communication technologies at Darbar Sahib. He said government can provide all possible help in disseminating the ‘Sarb Sanji Gurbani’ across the globe with an aim to spread the universal message of ‘Sarbat da Bhala’ (welfare of all).
The CM said this endeavour would go a long way in offering an opportunity to the “sangat” to listen the blissful Gurbani besides having glimpse of Sri Harmandar Sahib. “We are ready to discharge any duty assigned by the SGPC in this behalf,” he said in a video message.
He appealed to the SGPC to relay “Gurbani kirtan” on various communication platforms, including satellite TV, radio, FM, social media and mobile apps instead of limiting its reach to a single medium.
“We will provide the latest infrastructure/technology in this regard at Sri Darbar Sahib, including cameras and broadcasting equipment to relay the Gurbani kirtan through other digital platforms like YouTube, mobile apps, religious channels, etc. The government is ready to bear the expenditure for the same,” he added.
The CM’s statement came amid growing chorus against a private channel, the management of which has been involved in alleged sexual harassment case.
Reacting to the CM’s statement, Dhami said: “The SGPC has repeatedly been requesting the government to beautify the roads leading to Sri Harmandar Sahib and give them a Sikh heritage look on the pattern of the beautification work done earlier on the Ghanta Ghar side (Heritage Street) in Amritsar. We have also appealed to the government to release pending payments of the SC scholarships towards the SGPC’s educational institutions and to clear the issue of non-receipt of funds for the aided staff deputed in SGPC institutions, but the government has done nothing.”
He said that Punjab CM should pay attention to these long-pending issues. “The CM should focus on the works to be done by the government instead of misleading the sangat by playing politics in the name of religion,” Dhami said.
