Dhami turns down CM’S request, says don’t meddle in SGPC affairs SGPC STOPS TELECAST OF FILM BASED ON MATA SAHIB KAUR

The SGPC chief’s remark came after CM urged the gurdwara body to allow telecast of Gurbani at Golden Temple on other platforms

CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR: Hours after Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to allow the telecast of Gurbani at the Golden Temple on various communication platforms, the apex gurdwara body on Thursday suggested him not to meddle in its affairs.

SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said the CM should refrain from interfering in the management of the Golden Temple. “Running a government and managing religious affairs are different. We both have our own set of responsibilities,” Dhami said. He clarified that the SGPC has already constituted a sevenmember committee following the March 30 Akal Takht direction to the apex gurdwara body to launch its own channel for the live telecast of Gurbani worldwide. Earlier in the day, the CM urged the SGPC to allow the state government to install advanced broadcast/communication technologies at Darbar Sahib.

We will provide latest cameras and broadcasting equipment to relay Gurbani kirtan from the Golden Temple on other digital platforms. BHAGWANT MANN, CM

Govt can provide all possible help: Mann

He said government can provide all possible help in disseminating the ‘Sarb Sanji Gurbani’ across the globe with an aim to spread the universal message of ‘Sarbat da Bhala’ (welfare of all). The CM said this endeavour would go a long way in offering an opportunity to the “sangat” to listen the blissful Gurbani besides having glimpse of Sri Harmandar Sahib. “We are ready to discharge any duty assigned by the SGPC in this behalf,” he said in a video message.

He appealed to the SGPC to relay “Gurbani kirtan” on various communication platforms, including satellite TV, radio, FM, social media and mobile apps instead of limiting its reach to a single medium.

“We will provide the latest infrastructure/technology in this regard at Sri Darbar Sahib, including cameras and broadcasting equipment to relay the Gurbani kirtan through other digital platforms like Youtube, mobile apps, religious channels, etc. The government is ready to bear the expenditure for the same,” he added. The CM’S statement came amid growing chorus against a private channel, the management of which has been involved in alleged sexual harassment case.

Resolve long-pending issues first: SGPC chief Reacting to the CM’S statement, Dhami said: “The SGPC has repeatedly been requesting the government to beautify the roads leading to Sri Harmandar Sahib and give them a Sikh heritage look on the pattern of the beautification work done earlier on the Ghanta Ghar side (Heritage Street) in Amritsar. We have also appealed to the government to release pending payments of the SC scholarships towards the SGPC’S educational institutions and to clear the issue of non-receipt of funds for the aided staff deputed in SGPC institutions, but the government has done nothing.”

He said that Punjab CM should pay attention to these long-pending issues. “The CM should focus on the works to be done by the government instead of misleading the sangat by playing politics in the name of religion,” Dhami said.

AMRITSAR: The SGPC on Thursday asked the makers of an animation film based on the life of Mata Sahib Kaur, wife of Guru Gobind Singh, to stop the release of the movie immediately, saying it has several historical and theoretical mistakes.

The development comes a day after the Punjab government arranged a screening of the movie titled ‘Supreme Motherhood’ for members of the state assembly. The movie is scheduled to be released on April 14.

“Its release would be against the sentiments of Sikh Sangat. Therefore, the announced release of the film should be stopped immediately,” SGPC media secretary Kulwinder Singh Ramdas said.

“There are historical and theoretical mistakes in the film,” he said. The SGPC said it has not given any approval to the film and had earlier also denied a no objection certificate to the movie.

The CM should focus on works to be done by the government instead of playing politics in the name of religion. HARJINDER SINGH DHAMI, SGPC president