Gurbani telecast rights will not be allowed to go in hands of Badal family: CM

Gurbani telecast rights will not be allowed to go in hands of Badal family: CM

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today urged Governor of state Banwari Lal Purohit to give his consent to proposed Amendment in Sikh Gurdwara Act 1925 for ending the monopoly of Badal family over telecast of sacred Gurbani from Sri Harmandir Sahib.

In a letter to Governor, Bhagwant Mann bemoaned that one particular Channel owned by a political family has monopolized telecast of Sarab Sanjhi Gurbani from Sri Harmandir Sahib and has been making profits from it. The Chief Minister said that in order to propagate the teachings of Holy Gurus and ensure the telecast of Sarab Sanjhi Gurbani from Sri Harmandir Sahib freely available to all, ‘The Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023’ was introduced in Vidhan Sabha. He said that Section 125-A was inserted in ‘The Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925’ and the state Vidhan Sabha passed it with overwhelming majority.

However, the Chief Minister said that though Bill was sent for signatures Governor on June 26, 2023 it has not been signed till date. He said that this amounts to stifling the democratic will of the people of Punjab. Bhagwant Mann apprised the Governor that agreement of SGPC with the said Channel will expire on July 23,2023.

The Chief Minister said that in case Governor does not give nod to the Bill immediately, it may lead to a situation where millions of devotees across the world will be again deprived of watching the live telecast of Holy Gurbani from Sri Harmandir Sahib. He said that this will seriously hurt their religious sentiments of the Sikhs across the globe. Bhagwant Mann urged the Governor to sign this Bill at the earliest, so that telecast of Sarab Sanjhi Gurbani from Sri Harmandir Sahib can be made freely available to all through various channels and Media.