Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has suspended multiple staff members of a historic gurdwara in Amritsar after Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was presented with a siropa during his recent visit to flood-affected areas of Punjab.
During his two-day tour of Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts, Gandhi visited the Ramdas gurdwara, where he was honoured with a siropa, sparking controversy. The SGPC later directed strict action, stating that presenting a siropa inside the sanctum is a religious gesture reserved only for Sikh spiritual figures.
Following the directive, the gurdwara manager Pargat Singh has been issued a notice and transferred to another location. A kathavachak and sevadar on duty at the time have also been suspended, while the services of the staff member who actually presented the siropa are recommended for termination.
The matter came to light after Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring shared a video of the incident on social media, triggering criticism of the SGPC. In response, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami announced an inquiry into the incident at the Baba Budda Sahib gurdwara in Ramdas.
After the inquiry, the SGPC moved swiftly, suspending the concerned manager, granthi, kathavachak and sevadar, reaffirming that the religious protocol was violated.
