Golden Temple Gurbani bill for 'free telecast' passed in Punjab Assembly
2 min read 20 Jun 2023, 02:05 PM ISTThe Punjab government move was challenged by SGPC which claimed that the 1925 law is a central legislation and only Parliament has the power to amend it
PremiumThe legislative assembly of Punjab on Tuesday passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 making the broadcast and telecast of 'Gurbani' from Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) free for all, news agency ANI reported. 'Gurbani' refers to compositions of Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib, usually enshrined as hymns within the holy scripture.
The bill amends the British-era Sikh Gurdwaras Act, of 1925 and was approved by the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab cabinet on Monday. Till now, the Gurbani was broadcasted from the Sikh shrine by PTC, a private channel that has links with the apex religious body of the Sikhs, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
The government move was challenged by SGPC which claimed that the 1925 law is a central legislation and only Parliament has the power to amend it.
State govt 'competent': Chief Minister
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann dismissed the objections raised by SGPC and said the state government is fully competent to amend the British-era act. The chief minister also quoted the judgments of the Supreme Court which referred this act to as a ‘state act.’
"According to the demand of all the devotees, we are adding a new clause in the Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925 that the transmission of Gurbani from Harimandar Sahib will be free for all...no tender required ..tomorrow in the cabinet ..on June 20 the resolution will come in the Vidhan Sabha," the Chief Minister had tweeted on Sunday.
Earlier this year, Bhagwant Mann accused the SGPC of extending the exclusive right of broadcasting the sacred ‘Gurbani’ to a private channel linked to the political Badal family. The chief minister offered to pay for the expenses for it to be broadcasted by all the channels.
"Punjab Government can't interfere in any manner. They don't have the right...They are trying to politicise this and I strongly condemn this. I urge Bhagwant Mann to not do anything like this," SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami told ANI.