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Gurbani telecast row: SGPC warns of stir if Gurdwaras Bill is not withdrawn
SGPC House resolution terms the Bill as violation of Master Tara Singh-Jawahar Lal Nehru pact; accuses the state govt of ‘anti-Sikh’ approach
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Monday warned that agitation will be launched against the AAP-led Punjab government if the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was not withdrawn. Dhami was addressing a special general house session of the SGPC here.
The general house of the SGPC, which met at Teja Singh Samundri Hall, headquarters of the gurdwara body in the Golden Temple complex, was united in rejecting the Bill that the AAP government passed in the Punjab assembly on June 20 for ensuring ‘free’ live telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple and ending the alleged ‘monopoly’ of a private TV channel ‘PTC’. However, all the members were not on the same page regarding the demand for SGPC to launch its channel for the telecast of Gurbani and on the continuation of the exclusive rights of the telecast with the PTC channel.
As the session began, Dhami read out the resolution to oppose and reject the bill even as the discussion was yet to be held on the agenda. The resolution was passed unanimously.
The SGPC resolution said the bill is not valid in light of Master Tara Singh-Jawahar Lal Nehru pact according to which the government cannot make any amendment in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act 1925 without the recommendation of the SGPC general house, an elected body of the Sikh community members belonging to Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.
Dhami slammed chief minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of interfering in SGPC matters and trying to implement the ‘anti-Sikh thinking’ of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal with a motive of ‘capturing’ the SGPC. The resolution also said that the bill was a direct assault on the jurisdiction and independence status of the SGPC.
“Mann is meddling in Sikh affairs to implement anti-Sikh thinking of his boss Arvind Kejriwal. He is doing so to take control of this Sikh body. Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966 also maintains that the Gurdwaras Act can only be amended on the recommendation of the SGPC general house,” the resolution said.
Asking the Mann government to revoke this bill, the SGPC chief warned, “If the government does not stop “interference” into the Sikh affairs, a morcha (agitation) will be launched as per Sikh traditions with ardas (Sikh prayer) from Akal Takht, the highest Sikh temporal seat.”
Former SGPC president Jagir Kaur said, “There may be a deep state behind this move of the AAP government and it is challenging the self-respect of the Sikhs”.
House divided on launching own channel
Despite demands of passing a resolution on launching its channel, Dhami didn’t pay any heed to it. Members of the pro-Shiromani Akali Dal camp also chose not to speak on the issue of the PTC channel.
However, Jaswant Singh Purain, who is considered to be close to SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, surprised many with his voice of dissent. Addressing the session, he said that the community does not want this channel to telecast Gurbani. “All of us were sure to oppose the Bill but we don’t have answers to the question asked by the people who are ruling the state,” said Purain.
“The SGPC should do now what it could not do in the past. All the rows will end”, Bhai Gurpreet Singh Randhawa added.
In her speech, Jagir Kaur also launched an attack on the Badal family and said, “This is not only an issue of ending the monopoly of PTC channel, but that of discarding Panthic spirit for a particular family.”
However, the live telecast faced many glitches, especially, when many dissenting members were speaking during the session. Jagir Kaur’s address telecast was interrupted, and the addresses of some members, including that of Balwinder Singh Bains also faced glitches.
Kiranjot Kaur, former general secretary of the SGPC, disclosed that SGPC’s sub-committee constituted to discuss launching its own channel after Akal Takht’s directive, got technical information that it will take a week for launching of own channel for Gurbani telecast at the cost of ₹25 lakh.
“I request the president to add a resolution of launching own channel. In such a situation, even our critics will also join us,” she said.
Giani Harpreet Singh skips meeting
Takht Damdama Sahib jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, who quit the post of acting jathedar of Akal Takht a few days ago, skipped the session. Sources close to him claimed that he is upset over the attitude of the SAD leaders towards him.
Akal Takht incumbent jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh and Takht Kesgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Sultan Singh were present at the meeting.
Dhami acting as spokesperson of Badals: CM
Chandigarh Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday asked the SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami to explain that besides blaming him what else they had done in the ‘special session’ held in Amritsar.
In a statement issued here, the CM said: “It is surprising that the specially called session was used as a platform for criticising him”, adding that he failed to understand why the issue of free-to-air telecast and broadcast of the sacred Gurbani took a backseat. “Rather the session was nothing more than an assembly of leaders to shield the family ruling the roost in SGPC,” he added.
The CM said Dhami was just acting as a chief spokesperson of the Badals-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) by toeing the line of his masters. Mann said that people are aware that SGPC and its president are acting as a stooge of the family which is at the helm of affairs in SAD.
