No air defence guns deployed at Golden Temple, says Indian Army
Clarification follows SGPC and Giani Raghbir Singh denying Army official's claim that permission was given to deploy weapons at the shrine during Op Sindoor.
Amid row over a top military official’s claim that anti-drone weapons were deployed on the premises of the Golden Temple during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army on Tuesday clarified that no air defence guns were put up at the shrine.
The assertion came after the Golden Temple management and the head granthi (priest) of the shrine vehemently denied some media reports (quoting the army official) that claimed that permission had been given to the forces to deploy air defence guns to counter potential drone and missile threats from Pakistan.
“Some media reports are circulating with respect to deployment of air defence guns in the Golden Temple. It is clarified that no such resources were deployed on the premises of the Golden Temple,” said an army in a release.
On Monday, Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D’Cunha, the army’s in-charge of air defence, was quoted by news outlets as saying that the head priest (Giani Raghbir Singh) had permitted the deployment of air defence guns in the shrine complex. Prior to this, Major General Kartik C Seshadri, the general officer commanding (GOC), 15 Infantry Division, said that Golden Temple was targeted by Pakistan forces with missiles and drones and India’s air defence system had successfully intercepted and destroyed them to protect the shrine.
Terming the statements ‘propaganda’, Giani Raghbir said, “I was not contacted by any army officer. There was no communication on any gun deployment, nor did any such incident occur at Sri Darbar Sahib. In any case, I was on leave in the US for 22 days. I went on April 24 and returned on May 14. The conflict started after I left and ended before I returned. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee should probe the army’s claims and take departmental action if any SGPC member is found involved in this matter.”
In an official statement by the SGPC, additional head granthi Giani Amarjit Singh, who was officiating in Giani Raghbir Singh’s absence, said the administration contacted them only about switching off the lights during the blackout after recent escalation of tension between India and Pakistan and they fully cooperated in the interest of administrative responsibility. Despite the tense situation in recent days, the full religious code of conduct continued at Harmandar Sahib with dedication and discipline, he said.
He denied granting any permission to the army and reiterated there was no such weapon deployment at the shrine.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami also said no army officer contacted him and neither was any air defence gun put up at the shrine. He said even during the blackout, devotees continued to do sewa (voluntary service) at the shrine and had any such event occurred, the sangat (followers) would have certainly noticed it. Dhami acknowledged the commendable role played by the Army and the country during the tense circumstances, but emphasized that “spreading such falsehoods about the central religious place of Sikhs days after the events is shockingly untrue”.
He also demanded a clarification from the government.
