‘Singing, dancing’ at Guru Teg Bahadur’s martyrdom anniversary event sparks row

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the event went against the sanctity of the Guru’s supreme sacrifice and was a direct affront to Sikh religious values.

An event organised by the Punjab language department to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur, in Srinagar on Thursday, has drawn sharp criticism from Sikh bodies who are objecting to “the singing and dancing” on the occasion.

The event was organised by the Punjab language department to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur in Srinagar on Thursday. (SOURCED)

A video of the event, which is now doing the rounds of social media, purportedly shows singer Bir Singh performing on stage while members of the audience dance along.

In a statement on Friday, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the event went against the sanctity of the Guru’s supreme sacrifice and was a direct affront to Sikh religious values. “Any event organised to mark this centenary must align with Sikh traditions, reverence, restraint, and the spirit of Gurbani. By turning this solemn occasion into an entertainment affair, the language department of Punjab has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community,” he said.

“This is why the SGPC has always maintained that Sikh centenary events and festivals must be organised by Sikh institutions, not governments, as official departments lack the sensitivity to follow the Sikh code of conduct,” he said while demanding immediate attention from Punjab chief minister and urging the government to restrict itself to supportive responsibilities for such events.

He also sought a public apology from the Punjab government and clear guidelines on preventing such occurrences in the future.

Following the flak, singer Bir Singh issued an apology, stating that he had “committed the mistake unknowingly” and that the management had not given him proper information about the event. Stating that he has sent an apology letter to the Akal Takht jathedar, the singer said, “I will accept whatever tankhah (religious punishment) is awarded to me by the Akal Takht. I cannot do anything which goes against Panth. I will be careful in future.”