The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed the Sikh Gurudwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The Bill makes the broadcast and telecast of 'Gurbani' from Sri Harmandir Sahib (The Golden Temple) free for all, with no tender required. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had said that in the new act, the Punjab government will come up with the terms and conditions for the telecast of Gurbani that will have no commercial advertisement run before and after 30 minutes of the telecast. "Those who don't follow the rules, won't be allowed to run the broadcast," said Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.
However, the announcement by Bhagwant Mann ignited a controversy as Rabindra Narayan, Managing Director & President of "G NEXT MEDIA PVT LTD", which runs PTC network of TV channels, said that there was no need of amendment in the act as the Gurbani was telecast for free already.
"GURBANI IS ALREADY FREE. All PTC Network channels are designated as FREE TO AIR channels by Government of India. No cable operator, DTH operator charges any money. It is also available for free on YouTube and Facebook. So how are they claiming to make Gurbani Free To Air? We challenge the whole cabinet to bring one single customer bill where anyone has had to pay to subscribe to Gurbani across the country!! REWARD ONE CRORE RUPEES!" Rabindra Narayan tweeted.
"We all know which family runs the SGPC In 2011, their own channel PTC purchased the broadcasting rights of Gurbani for 11 years But the question is, "Why isn't it FREE to AIR & free of cost??" Bhagwant Mann questioned claims by PTC channel.
On the other hand, Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar, Gyani Raghbir Singh, asked Punjab Government not to interfere in the SGPC issue. "The matter of Gurbani broadcast from Sri Harmandir Sahib should be resolved collaboratively. Government officials and SGPC should sit together and resolve it," he said.
Gurbani is a term used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib. The Bill was immediately taken up for discussion. On Monday, the Punjab Cabinet approved an amendment to the British-era Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 to ensure free-to-air telecast of Gurbani from Amritsar's Golden Temple, reported news agency PTI.
