In a sharp escalation of tensions, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has strongly condemned the Punjab government's decision to file a police case regarding the disappearance of 328 sacred saroops (copies) of the Guru Granth Sahib. SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami on Tuesday labeled the move to register an FIR as a "hasty and ill-considered" act, accusing the state of political interference in Sikh religious affairs.
SGPC's Defense and Accusation of Political Motives
The controversy, which first surfaced in the year 2000, saw the Punjab Police finally lodging a First Information Report in the first week of December this year. Dhami, addressing the media, expressed strong disapproval of this step. He revealed that the SGPC had already taken decisive action based on the findings of an inquiry conducted by Dr. Ishar Singh, which was initiated under the directives of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikh authority.
The SGPC chief emphasized that the committee implemented the inquiry report "in letter and spirit," taking strict disciplinary measures against all officials found guilty, regardless of their seniority. He argued that the police action falls outside the purview of the SGPC's internal service rules and constitutes an unwarranted intrusion into what is purely an administrative matter of the Sikh institution.
Legal Standpoint and Allegations of Double Standards
Dhami bolstered his argument by citing legal acknowledgments. He stated that even the Punjab government, in submissions before the high court, recognized the SGPC as a competent body authorized to manage its own affairs under the Sikh Gurdwaras Act. He further clarified that the high court order being used to justify the FIR did not contain any specific direction for its registration.
"In fact, the government itself submitted an affidavit stating that jurisdiction in this matter lies with the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission," Dhami pointed out. He alleged that citing court orders to register the FIR is "misleading and reflects double standards" on the part of the state administration.
To highlight this inconsistency, Dhami referred to a similar case pending since 2021, where the government previously took the stance that it should not interfere in the service rules of Sikh institutions. He also recalled that the police commissioner had earlier closed a complaint in this matter, recognizing it as an internal SGPC administrative issue.
Rejection of Interference and Ongoing Actions
Reiterating the SGPC's commitment to justice, Dhami asserted that the committee was not shielding any accused in the missing saroops case. He stated that no leniency was shown and that strict action continues, including recovery proceedings which are currently pending before the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission.
In a direct accusation aimed at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's government, Dhami charged it with "politicising sensitive Sikh issues." He firmly declared that any interference by the government or police in the functioning of Sikh institutions would not be tolerated. The SGPC's strong rebuttal sets the stage for a continued confrontation between the prominent Sikh religious body and the state's political leadership over the boundaries of jurisdiction and religious autonomy.
