Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday condemned the Punjab government for registering an FIR in a case related to the holy saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, calling it a direct challenge to Sri Akal Takht Sahib and interference in the SGPC’s autonomous authority.
The statement came after a special meeting of the SGPC’s Executive Committee chaired by President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami. Briefing the media, Dhami said the government’s move amounted to political interference despite the fact that all action in the matter had already been completed as per the directives of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
Dhami alleged that state ministers, the Speaker, and MLAs participated in a protest recently held on the Heritage Street near Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, and instructed the police to register a case. “This clearly shows that the government is deliberately trying to politicise the issue,” he said.
He clarified that the issue was not one of sacrilege or missing saroops, but a case of financial fraud carried out by a few employees of the SGPC’s publication department. “Spreading this as sacrilege is an attempt to defame the top Sikh religious institution and hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community. The present Punjab government is fully involved in this political conspiracy,” Dhami added.
Dhami said the inquiry committee headed by Dr. Iqbal Singh, constituted by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, had clearly stated in its report that certain employees tried to cover up their wrongdoing for personal gains. Based on this, the SGPC Executive Committee had taken action through resolutions passed in August and September 2020, deciding to avoid police involvement since police interference in matters related to Guru Granth Sahib would violate Sikh traditions and maryada. The SGPC General House had also approved these resolutions earlier.
Dhami said the government’s decision to file an FIR now was an attempt to divert attention from its failures, particularly because those who came to power by politicising sacrilege cases have failed to deliver justice even after four years.
The Committee unanimously passed a resolution condemning the government’s efforts to malign Sikh institutions and warned that the Sikh community would never allow state interference in its religious affairs. The SGPC also decided to forward the entire matter to the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib for consideration and further instructions.
Responding to a question, Dhami said that the SGPC had already banned and withdrawn the Hindi version of a 1999 English book titled Sikh History, and public notices had been issued twice in newspapers. He said repeated attempts to raise this issue were also politically motivated.
The meeting was attended by senior SGPC members including Senior Vice President Raghujit Singh Virk, Junior Vice President Baldev Singh Kalyan, General Secretary Sher Singh Mandwala, Chief Secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan, and others.
