No objection over sharing of ‘hukamnama’, says PTC

AMRITSAR

AMRITSAR

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After claiming exclusive rights on Golden Temple morning ‘hukamnama’ (edict from Guru Granth Sahib) and gurbani telecast, a private TV channel on Tuesday said that anybody can share it from its website or that of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

In a release, managing director and president of PTC Network Rabindra Narayan said: “We have no objection if anybody takes the sacred hukamnama from our web portal and use any means to disseminate it to the public. We also make it clear that hukamnama posted on the website of Darbar Sahib can be used by anybody. There is no restriction on it.”

On Sunday, Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh directed the SGPC and the TV channel to submit documents regarding their agreement. The issue was raked up when PTC Network got blocked the broadcast of ‘hukumnama’ audio, denying access from SGPC’s social media portals.

On the objection raised by various sections over claiming the ‘hukamnama’ audio as “intellectual property”, Narayan said: “We clarify to sangat that no one has the copyright over gurbani. In the law and in Facebook’s technical language, copyright is used for a different purpose and to confuse it with telecast of sacred scriptures is intentionally wrong and unfounded.”

“The channel is carrying out this sewa free of cost and is also paying requisite fee to the SGPC. Since 2012-13, we have paid more than ₹10 crore to the apex gurdwara body,” he said.