Full support to SGPC for satellite TV channel for Gurbani: Anurag Thakur

Chandigarh/Amritsar: Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday assured an SGPC delegation of the Union government's full support for setting up their own satellite channel for the live broadcast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple.

During the meeting in Delhi, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) delegation headed by its president Harjinder Singh Dhami handed over a letter to Thakur, requesting him to expedite the process of SGPC's satellite channel.

Dhami said after the Sikh religious body started its own YouTube channel, efforts are being made to establish a satellite channel.

"The Union Minister has been informed so that the process can be completed soon. There has been a long-standing demand of the 'Sangat' (community) from around the globe for establishing a channel and the SGPC is committed to fulfilling it," said Dhami in a statement.

Later, Thakur said on Twitter, "We have assured the delegation that we will extend our full support and cooperation in their effort to establish their own satellite channel for broadcasting Gurbani from Sachkhand Darbar Shaib Sri Harmandar Sahib." The delegation also included SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal and members Rajinder Singh Mehta, Kulwant Singh Mannan and Sarvan Singh Kular.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Prakash was also present during the meeting.

The SGPC on Sunday launched its YouTube channel for broadcasting Gurbani from the Golden Temple.

The SGPC had appealed to PTC Channel, often linked to the Badal family, to continue broadcasting the hymns until the Sikh body's own satellite channel was established, and the private channel agreed to it. The SGPC's agreement with GNext Media (PTC channel) expired on Sunday.

The AAP-led state government and the SGPC have locked horns over the live broadcast of Gurbani from the Sikh shrine in Amritsar. While the SGPC asserts that the broadcast rights of Gurbani should be reserved for the apex Sikh body only, Mann has sought its free telecast on TV channels.