SGPC launches YouTube channel for Gurbani; slams AAP govt in Punjab

Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) launched its YouTube channel on Sunday for the broadcast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple here even as its president Harjinder Singh Dhami slammed the AAP government in Punjab for hatching conspiracies to weaken the Sikh body.

The channel, which has been named as "SGPC Sri Amritsar" and will be available on YouTube and Facebook page, was launched by Dhami from the Manji Sahib Diwan Hall at the Golden Temple complex here while holding a brief religious ceremony in the presence of a sizable gathering of devotees.

The timings of Gurbani broadcast will be 3:30 am till 8: 30 am, 12:30 pm till 2:30 pm, and 6:30 pm till 8:30 pm.

In his address, Dhami said all the rights to broadcast Gurbani will remain with the SGPC and no other channel will be able to broadcast it.

He said the SGPC will soon set up its own satellite channel, the process of which is being done actively.

Dhami asked the Punjab government to stop interfering in the SGPC affairs.

"The Punjab government should focus on its affairs rather than interfere in the Sikh religious affairs as SGPC is capable to carry out its all religious works. So we don't need any kind of help from the Punjab Government. SGPC is capable of setting up its own channel," he said.

Dhami alleged the Punjab government was hatching conspiracies to weaken the Sikh organisation.

The Aam Aadmi Party-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 the religious hymn should be reserved for the apex Sikh body only, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has sought its free telecast on all TV channels.

The Punjab Assembly, on June 20, had passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which is aimed at ensuring free-to-air telecast of Gurbani. The move came after the AAP government approved an amendment to the British-era Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925.

In his address at the launch of the YouTube channel, Dhami said, "At present PTC channel has been authorised to broadcast Gurbani on satellite as per 'sangat's' demand. The SGPC had appealed to the management of PTC in this regard and it has agreed." "Along with this, the monthly expenses of Rs 12 lakh to be paid to a company selected by the SGPC for broadcasting Gurbani on its official YouTube and social media platforms will also be borne by the PTC," he said.

The SGPC's agreement with GNext Media (PTC channel), which was currently telecasting Gurbani from the Sikh shrine, will expire on Sunday. The agreement was entered into with G-Next Media on July 24, 2012 for 11 years. PTC channel is often linked to the Badal family of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

Dhami appealed to the 'sangat' (community) that they should follow the 'SGPC Sri Amritsar' YouTube and Facebook channels to connect to the uninterrupted Gurbani Kirtan broadcast from Sri Harmandir Sahib.

In a scathing attack against the Bhagwant Mann government, Dhami claimed that one of the confidants of the SGPC was approached by the Punjab government to start a channel to defame the SGPC but he out rightly rejected the offer and informed him about it.

He further alleged that the state government had offered money to some members of the executive committee to oppose the SGPC and its agendas.

One of the Cabinet ministers of the Punjab government was behind this, Dhami alleged, without taking any name.

He alleged that the Punjab government was hatching conspiracies to weaken the Sikh organization, but it does not know that it is the body blessed by the Gurus, which has always given a befitting response to such moves of the governments.

He also termed the union formed by some employees of the SGPC in the recent past as against the norms of the Sikh organization.

The mischievous act of registering the union has also been done by the Punjab government”, said Dhami adding that the SGPC is the holy institution of the Guru's house, where the work is done with the 'Dasvandh' (10 percent of income) of the 'Sangat'.

"This organisation is not a factory or commercial establishment where a trade union can be established. The SGPC will not allow anyone to act contrary to its traditions." "The SGPC employees stand with humanity in all difficult times and at present, they are rendering great services even during floods. But some mischievous people deliberately want to spoil/defame the organisation's management, which will not be allowed," Dhami said.