Amritsar: With the Bhagwant Mann led AAP government in Punjab all set to amend the Gurudwara Act 1925 for free telecast of Gurbani at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee opposed the move saying that the Sikh Gurdwara Act was not a state issue. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Advocate Harjinder Singh made the remarks at a special press conference in Amritsar. said that the Sikh Gurdwara Act is not a state issue.
Also read: Mann: 'Free telecast' of Gurbani from Golden Temple, Sikh Gurdwara Act amendment on June 20
Reacting to the claim by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann that a free Gurbani was “in consonance with the feelings of the 'Sikh Sangat across the globe”, advocate Harjinder Singh said that it was “pathetic to raise controversy over Gurbani broadcast”. “Gurbani is being broadcast absolutely free. Bhagwant Maan is engaged in pleasing his boss in Delhi,” Singh said.
“It is being unnecessarily hyped as a big issue. Religious matter should not be politicized,” added the SGPC president Advocate Harjinder Singh. “Bhagwant Maan ji should not do politics on religious matters,” he said. Singh said that the SGPC has already decided to float the tenders for the free telecast of Gurbani at the Golden temple.
Singh said that according to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Act of 1925, the authority of the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee comes under the domain of the central government and not the state government. The SGPC presser comes a day after the Bhagwant Mann led AAP government in Punjab said that will amend the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925 to ensure free telecast rights of Gurbani from the Golden Temple.
