Bhagwant Mann slams SGPC chief over gurbani's exclusive rights to Badals' channel

Sangrur: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Monday lashed out at the SGPC chief for extending rights to telecast 'Gurbani' at the Golden Temple to only the Badals' TV channel, saying that the committee president is acting like a puppet in the hands of the Akali Dal family.

Mann's reaction came a day after Dhami asked the CM to refrain from creating unnecessary controversy over the telecast.

The chief minister on Sunday had criticised the extension of rights to telecast the sacred hymn at the Golden Temple to only one TV channel and offered to pay all expenses for its telecast across channels free of cost.

Mann on Monday again raked up the issue while addressing a gathering after laying foundation stones for setting up tehsil complexes at Dirba and Cheema in Sangrur.

"Why is 'Gurbani' being telecast by Badals' channel," he asked.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Harjinder Singh Dhami told him that he should not interfere in religious matters.

"If somebody speaks about freeing the Badals' channel hold on the telecast of Gurbani then it is considered as interference in religious matters and if SGPC chief Dhami seeks votes for Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate in Jalandhar (Lok Sabha) poll, then is a personal decision," said Mann.

"The SGPC chief should reply to this after asking Badals. I know you take all directions from them," he said.

Mann said what objections the SGPC president has if the universal message of 'Sarbat da Bhala' (welfare of all) is disseminated through the 'Sarb Sanji Gurbani' across the globe.

He has asked Dhami to explain what was more important – spreading the message of Gurbani or "extending largesse to their blue-eyed channel".

Currently, the hymn is being telecast by a private TV channel.

Mann said it is unfortunate that the SGPC is acting "like a puppet in the hands of the Badal family and is being used by them for fulfilling their political designs." He accused the Badals of misusing the committee for stalling the ambitious project of the medical college at Mastuana Sahib, which could have transformed the fortunes of the people of the region.

These people have no interest in the well-being of the people but they are always bothered about their vested political interests, he said.