SGPC slams govt move to register FIR on missing Guru Granth Sahib ‘saroops’ as political conspiracy

The executive committee of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) held a special meeting on Thursday and termed the government’s move to register an FIR in the matter of missing 328 ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib as a direct challenge to the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs — Akal Takht — and an unwarranted interference in the administrative sphere of the Sikh body.

The meeting, held under president Harjinder Singh Dhami, passed a resolution stating that although the action regarding the sacred ‘saroops’ had already been completed in accordance with the directives of the Akal Takht, the recent participation of ministers, the Speaker, and MLAs in a protest staged by certain individuals on Heritage Street leading to Golden Temple and their directions to the police to register an FIR clearly reveal that the government is intentionally exploiting the matter for political gain.

Dhami categorically stated that the issue neither pertains to sacrilege nor missing ‘saroops’, but rather to financial misappropriation committed by some employees. Presenting this matter as sacrilege is a political conspiracy aimed at defaming the premier Sikh institution and hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community — an agenda in which the current Punjab government is fully involved.

He recalled that the inquiry committee formed by the Akal Takht Sahib under advocate Dr Ishar Singh had clarified in its report that certain employees of SGPC’s publication department, driven by personal greed, attempted unsuccessfully to conceal their wrongdoing. He said that based on this report, action was taken through executive committee resolution number 466 dated August 27, 2020, and legal action against some employees had also been decided.