SGPC general house session a platform to criticise me: Punjab CM

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 26

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday asked the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC) to explain that except blaming him what else they had done in the specially convened session of the body.

CM Mann said he had failed to understand that why the issue of free-to-air telecast/broadcast of the sacred Gurbani took a backseat in the session.

In a statement issued here, the Chief Minister said it was surprising that the session was used only as a platform for criticising him. He said the session was only an assembly of leaders to shield “a family”.

The Chief Minister said Harjinder Singh Dhami was just acting as a chief spokesperson of the Shiromani Akali Dal by toeing the line of his masters. He said this was unfortunate that instead of dwelling a serious issue related to spreading the message of sacred Gurbani, the SGPC session had been merely confined to his backbiting.

AAP spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang termed the SGPC’s rejection to broadcast free Gurbani unfortunate. Questioning Dhami, Kang said, “Is it in line with Sikh traditions to forward your own political agenda, limit the broadcasting rights of Gurbani to one particular channel and build a business of crores through advertisement, TRP etc., all in the name of holy Gurbani?”.

Kang asked that on what basis the Dhami was terming this decision of the Mann government anti-Sikh? Doesn’t he know that the CM was also elected by the Sikhs of Punjab? According to Dhami, only three elected MLAs of the Akali Dal represent the Sikhs, then what about the rest of the MLAs?” he asked.

“In Delhi, the BJP takes over the Delhi gurdwara committee, in Haryana a separate parbandhak committee has been formed, but the SGPC did nothing about it. But when it comes to the rights of Gurbani broadcasting, Dhami is presenting it as a panthic issue,” he said.

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