Akal Takht upset over ‘distorted’ photos of Gurus on social sites

The Akal Takht — the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs — has taken a serious view of ‘distorted’ photographs or portraits of Sikh gurus being uploaded on social media sites and has told the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to take it up the sites concerned sites.

The Akal Takht — the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs — has taken a serious view of ‘distorted’ photographs or portraits of Sikh gurus being uploaded on social media sites and has told the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to take it up the sites concerned sites.

Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said at times photographs are accompanied by derogatory content that can hurt religious sentiments and in the process can lead to communal unrest. (Sameer Sehgal/HT Photo)

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said at times these photographs are accompanied by derogatory content that can hurt religious sentiments and in the process can lead to communal unrest. He said such acts are a handiwork of those elements who want to disturb the peace and communal harmony in Punjab.

The jathedar directed the ‘Dharam Prachar Committee’ of the SGPC to identify the elements behind such content and take action against them in accordance with the law.

The jathedar also warned the Sikh community against ‘taking’ the holy book to marriage palaces or resorts for solemnising marriages or other functions. He pointed out this act is a clear violation of the directive issued a decade ago banning the display of the Sikh scripture in hotels and marriage palaces.

The jathedar issued the warning after receiving complaints that marriages were being solemnised at hotels/resorts and not gurdwaras.