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Row over gurbani telecast from Golden Temple by pvt channel deepens

Row over gurbani telecast from Golden Temple by pvt channel deepens

Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Wednesday asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to launch its own channel.

The row over a private TV channel claiming exclusive rights over the telecast of gurbani from the Golden Temple has deepened days after an FIR was registered against the channel for its alleged involvement in a sex scandal.

Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Wednesday asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to launch its own channel.

The channel is owned by those associated with the SAD, which controls the apex gurdwara body due to its majority in its general house.

“We have received written complaints and emails against the channel. The SGPC has been asked to launch its own channel for the live telecast of gurbani kirtan from Sri Harmandir Sahib.

The issue was raked up during the budget session of the gurdwara body, which objected to the continuation of rights to the channel even after an FIR registration.

“The charges being faced by the channel are so serious that I cannot even take those up in this house. These charges are about sexual exploitation of a girl. The accused also include those with whom the SGPC inked a pact of the gurbani telecast. This agreement has signatures of those people. These charges are against the channel which telecasts the gurbani. So, I would like to request this house to stop the gurbani telecast on this channel until the case is not settled. The SGPC should live-stream gurbani through its own channel across the world, Kiranjot Kaur said.

She said, “ We also have resources to provide this service.”

Another member and former MLA Balwinder Singh Bains also requested the SGPC chief to terminate the agreement with this controversial channel for which the SGPC often draws criticism.

Meanwhile, Dera Baba Nanak legislature (Congress) and former deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa wrote a detailed letter to the jathedar.

He said, “Broadcasting gurbani through this channel which is facing charges of sexual exploitation has hurt the Sikh sentiments across the world. I request you to intervene in the matter.”

Replying to a query on the controversy, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said, “Launching a TV channel needs a huge budget, which the SGPC cannot afford. Still, we can go ahead with the launch if the Akal Takht orders us to do so.”

However, he avoided commenting on the channel’s functionaries facing serious charges in the case. Notably, the SGPC members on Tuesday justified the live telecast by the channel, saying it is giving 1.9 crore to the SGPC instead of charging any penny from it for broadcasting the kirtan and other religious activities. They said the agreement will expire in 2023.

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