CHANDIGARH: The government of Punjab on Monday, June 19, approved an amendment in the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925 to make transmission of Gurbani from the Golden Temple 'free for all'.
The Bill would be introduced in the special session of the Assembly for discussion and passing tomorrow, Tuesday. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the top Sikh religious authority, strongly objected to the action and urged the government not to meddle in issues of faith.
In order to guarantee the free-to-air telecast of sacred Gurbani from Sri Harmandar Sahib in Amritsar, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated the resolution to make transmission of Gurbani is a historic step. He said as per the Sikh Gurdwara Amendment Act 2023, the telecast of Gurbani would be free-to-telecast in India and abroad. He stated that the broadcasters must make sure that there are no commercials played for a half-hour prior to and following the Gurbani on video or audio.
Regarding the SGPC's claim that the state government lacks the authority to change the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925, Mann stated that the Supreme Court's 2014 ruling made it abundantly obvious that the act is a state Act rather than an interstate Act.
He claimed that there is no mention of broadcast or live transmission of Gurbani in the Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925. He said that it was abused in 2012 when it granted one TV channel run by the Badal family the sole right to broadcast the Gurbani for a period of eleven years.
"As a result, Sikhs are forced to pay the exorbitant subscription fee for this channel, which is combined with three to four other channels. It ought to be free, he said.
The Chief Minister said now the SGPC is making the case for floating a tender for broadcasting Gurbani but the Badal family may again get the exclusive rights through the tender.
Harjinder Singh Dhami, the head of the SGPC, responded to the Cabinet's decision by saying, "This (the Gurdwara Act) can only be amended by the Centre as the Punjab government has no right to do so."
The Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925 was a significant legislation passed in British India that aimed to provide legal recognition and management guidelines for Sikh places of worship, known as gurdwaras. The act granted the Sikh community greater autonomy and control over their religious institutions, allowing them to elect their own management committees and make decisions regarding the administration of gurdwaras. This landmark legislation played a crucial role in safeguarding the Sikh faith and promoting its independent governance, ensuring the preservation and promotion of Sikh religious and cultural practices.
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