Row erupts over siropa to Rahul; SGPC chief faces flak, orders probe

A row has erupted after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was offered a siropa at the SGPC-run Gurdwara Smadh Baba Budha Sahib in Ramdas during his visit to flood-ravaged areas in Amritsar and Gurdaspur yesterday.

Under flak, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has ordered a probe into the matter. The visiting Congress leader was offered a siropa in the sanctum sanctorum of the historic gurdwara by a granthi. As per the mandate of the SGPC executive, it is to be given only to Sikh religious figures as the action is performed in front of Guru Granth Sahib.

In the past, “siropao”, as siropa is known in religious parlance, was offered to special visitors, including Prime Ministers, Presidents and heads of foreign states, at the Golden Temple, but separate programmes were held for that.

SGPC members Surinder Singh Bhulewal, Manjit Singh and Malkit Singh Changal, in a statement issued here on Tuesday, criticised the SGPC for offering a siropa to Rahul. They said veiled efforts were being made to grant forgiveness to the Gandhi family.