SGPC slams PU for stopping seminar related to ninth Guru’s martyrdom anniversary

The SGPC and the Akal Takht have slammed Panjab University for stopping a seminar related to the ninth Guru’s martyrdom anniversary on the campus. The SGPC said it was a direct attack on freedom of expression.

Demanding clarification from the PU Vice-Chancellor and the Dean Students' Welfare, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami urged the Central and the state governments to take the issue seriously and initiate action against those responsible.

Dhami said the SGPC would conduct its own investigation into the matter and take appropriate action. He said the seminar, which was being organised by a students’ union, was an attempt to pay tributes to the Sikh Guru who had laid down his life for humanity.

Dhami said preventing a seminar dedicated to the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadar was an anti-Sikh action and a direct attack on freedom of expression. "It is extremely painful and worrying that in Panjab University, established on the land of Punjab, an attempt is being made to suppress the voices of Sikh scholars and intellectuals," he said.

Meanwhile, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, strongly flayed the AAP government for its partisan approach by immediately taking out objectionable videos of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann from social media but not showing similar interest in removing artificial intelligence-made videos of the Golden Temple.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the SGPC on Monday met the Registrar, Panjab University, Chandigarh, and expressed a strong objection to stopping the seminar being organised by a student organisation, Sath, on the campus. The delegation included SGPC deputy secretary Lakhbir Singh, Gurdwara Sri Amb Sahib manager Rajinder Singh Tohra and others. Lakhbir Singh said the delegation was preparing a report, which would soon be submitted to SGPC president.