The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) General House, in its special session on Monday, decided to proceed legally against the amendment introduced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab Government in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925.

Completely rejected the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 — passed by the AAP-dominated Punjab Vidhan Sabha on June 20, the SGPC house also called for its strong opposition at all levels. A resolution passed in the House even warned the state government of launching an agitation or morcha in case the amended Bill was not withdrawn.

In a resolution, presented by the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami and passed by the House, a warning was given to start the morcha (front) after offering ardas (Sikh prayer) at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, as per the Sikh traditions, against the anti-Sikh decision of Punjab Government.

The resolution, approved by the SGPC members present in the House amid the resonance of jaikaras – Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal, has asked the Punjab Government, led by Bhagwant Mann, to withdraw the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, or be ready to face an intensified struggle.

The special General House session, held in the presence of Sikhs’ holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, at SGPC’s office in Teja Singh Samundri Hall, was attended by Akal Takht Sahib jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib jathedar Giani Sultan Singh, and a large number of SGPC members.

In the House, the SGPC members jointly condemned the Punjab Government’s “interference” in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, and the management of SGPC, while declaring that it would not be tolerated.

Presenting the resolution, Dhami said that the amendment in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, is possible only with the recommendations of the SGPC. Referring to the pact between senior Akali leader Master Tara Singh and former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959 and Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, Dhami said that before making any amendment in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, the approval of two-thirds of the members of SGPC’s General House cannot be ignored.

“However, Punjab Government is making this interference with the aim of implementing the anti-Sikh ideology of his Delhi-based boss and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and to usurp the Sikh organization SGPC,” said Dhami.

Dhami, in the resolution, said that the “anti-Sikh intention” of Punjab Government will not be allowed to succeed at any cost and a struggle will be fought against it.

In the resolution, a public apology has been sought from the Chief Minister Mann and AAP MLA Budh Ram, for interfering in the Gurdwara management, insulting Kes (unshorn hair) an important part of Sikh Kakaars and hurting the dignity of Raagi Singhs of Sri Harmandir Sahib.

The speakers said that the mistake of Bhagwant Mann's government is unforgivable and a strong response must be given.

The view was also expressed that the anti-Sikh comments by the Chief Minister and MLA were made in the presence of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, who himself is an amritdhari (initiated) Sikh. It was Sandhwan’s duty to take cognizance of these objectionable comments, but by not doing so, he too has joined the queues with the accused. Therefore, the Speaker should also tender an apology to the Sikh community.

Speaking to the media after the House meeting, the SGPC president Dhami said that all the members present have expressed strong resentment against the Mann Government for which he is grateful to them.

He clarified that in the struggle to be started following the Sikh traditions, the protests will be started from Sri Akal Takht Sahib under the leadership of SGPC members and Shiromani Akali Dal constituency in-charges. But, at the same time, he also made it clear that before starting the protest, adopting the constitutional means, the President of India, Union Home Minister will be approached, about which the communication has been started.

Dhami also made it clear that it is the responsibility of the SGPC to deliver the gurbani kirtan from Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib to the sangat (community). “For this, progress is being made actively. Some meetings of the sub-committee have been held and in due course, a decision will be taken in the spirit of the orders of Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the sentiments of the sangat,” said Dhami while indicating that the SGPC may soon start its own channel to telecast gurbani.

Wrapping up discussion on the Bill on June 20, Mann had informed the Assembly that the Bill “aims at freeing the undue control of a particular family over the rights to telecast sacred Gurbani”.

He had said that it was a paradoxical situation that the SGPC, under the influence of a family that controls its affairs, had given intellectual property rights of telecasting the sacred gurbani to a channel owned by this family.

Mann had also questioned how these rights of gurbani, which is repository of knowledge and faith, can be given to any channel. He had said that the Bill is in no way interference in religious affairs, rather it is a simple step to ensure that gurbani reaches every household. He said in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925, after section 125, section 125-A will be inserted for live telecast of Gurbani free of cost.

Except blaming me, what else have you done in session: CM asks SGPC chief

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday dared SGPC president to explain that except blaming him, what else they had done in the specially-convened session of the Sikh body.

“It is surprising that the specially-called session was used only as a platform for criticizing me…I failed to understand why the issue of free to air telecast or broadcast of the sacred gurbani took a backseat in the session. Rather, the session was nothing more than an assembly of leaders to shield the family ruling the roost in SGPC,” he said, in a statement.

Mann said SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami was just acting as a “chief spokesperson” of the Shiromani Akali Dal-Badal by toeing the line of his masters. This is unfortunate that instead of dwelling a serious issue related to spreading the message of sacred gurbani, the SGPC session has been merely confined to his backbiting, he said.

“People are aware of everything and they know that how SGPC and its president is acting as a stooge of the family at helms of affairs in SAD (Badal),” he said.