Chandigarh: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Friday announced it would be airing Gurbani recitals from Golden Temple, Amritsar, the holiest Sikh shrine, from its own YouTube channel from July 24.
The SGPC which is known as mini-Parliament of the Sikhs, is a representative body of the Sikhs living across the world and is empowered to appoint clergy, including the Jathedars, head of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs.
The SGPC decision holds significance amid the controversy over the broadcast of Gurbani by the PTC, a private channel, a majority of shares of which have reportedly been held by the Badal family, which has also reportedly been at the helm of affairs of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as well as has a majority in the general house of the SGPC.
SGPC will reserve all rights of Gurbani broadcast
Elaborating on the said decision about the Gurbani broadcast, the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the Gurbani would be live on the SGPC’s YouTube channel which would start from early morning on July 24 and that this arrangement would be in place till SGPC launches its own satellite channel. All rights of the Gurbani broadcast would be with the SGPC, he added.
It may be recalled that the SGPC had given the rights to broadcast Gurbani to channels, under which the current agreement was with PTC channel. Dhami's announcement also means that the SGPC would not be renewing its agreement with the PTC channel after its term ends on July 23.
Bill ensuring free Gurbani telecast from Golden Temple
Pertinently, the current row over the Gurbani broadcast by PTC was whipped up after the state assembly had on June 20, last passed the said Bill aimed at ensuring free Gurbani telecast from Golden Temple. The rights for the same had so far been with PTC channel, a private channel, which is often linked to the Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD’s) Badals’ family and the Bill had evoked sharp reactions from SGPC, SAD and the opposition parties, namely Congress and BJP who held it was ``interference in Sikh affairs’’.
Subsequently, the SGPC had rejected the said Bill and warned of a stir it was not withdrawn. The chief minister Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had, on the other hand, had sent the Bill to the Punjab governor Banwari Lal Purohit for his approval.
