The Punjab cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is set to formalize a decision to provide free broadcasting of Gurbani from Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar. Chief Minister Mann believes that Gurbani is a right for everyone and should be accessible without any cost. The decision, to be included as a new clause in the Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925, aims to make the transmission of Gurbani from Harmandir Sahib free for all. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Mann through a tweet. Currently, the broadcasting rights of Gurbani from Harmandir Sahib are held by the PTC network, owned by the influential Badal family. The move to provide free broadcasting is expected to break the network's monopoly and create a level playing field for all television channels.
The rights to broadcast Gurbani from Harmandir Sahib were previously granted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body of Sikhs, to the PTC network, owned by the politically influential Badal family. Making the broadcast free is expected to break the network's monopoly and create an equal platform for all television channels.
Image Source: Twitter
Politically, this move is likely to diminish the sacred and collective influence of the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal, which is predominantly controlled by the Badals. Previously, when Mr Mann proposed the idea of a free telecast of Gurbani, it faced strong opposition from the SGPC, Badals, and the Akali Dal.SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami expressed in a statement, "Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann should refrain from meddling in Sikh religious affairs... Do not confuse the country for your political interests. Broadcasting Gurbani is not an ordinary broadcast; its sanctity and ethics should not be neglected."Daljeet Singh Cheema from the Akali Dal referred to the move as "unconstitutional" and a "direct interference in the religious activities of the Sikh community."
The Sikh Gurdwara Act, which is within the purview of Parliament, governs the decision-making authority of the elected Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee regarding Guru Ghar (Golden Temple) under this parliamentary Act. Has the committee passed any resolution regarding this issue? Without such a resolution, even Parliament cannot modify the Act. The Sikh community will not accept this action being implemented under the directives of (Arvind) Kejriwal, according to his tweet. Other opposition parties, including the BJP and the Congress, vehemently oppose this decision, arguing that the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925 is a law enacted by Parliament and cannot be altered by the state government. Sukhpal Singh Khaira from the Congress questioned how the Punjab government could make changes to a central act.
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