Punjab Vidhan Sabha passes Bill for free Gurbani telecast from Golden Temple

Hitting out at the allegations that the government was meddling in Sikh affairs when they had an elected body in the form of the SGPC, Mann said that no elections have taken place at the SGPC for the last 11 years and hence, they were non-democratic.

The Akal Takht Jathedar had directed the SGPC to have its own channel but nobody responded, he said. “SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami says that it is free to air… it is intellectual property right (IPR). They are saying they have exclusive IPR. When the Gurbani is written by the Gurus, how can they have the IPR?” Mann asked.

Hitting out at PTC, Mann said, “I will tell you how they earn money. They do not need to telecast an advertisement. If you have to subscribe to PTC, you have to take a package of USD 54. That money is for one TV. Then the TRP also goes up for Gurbani as the channel is watched for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. The advertisements are given to a channel after considering the TRP. When I say it should be free, then they say Bhagwant Mann is meddling with Sikh affairs.”

Mann said that he had learnt that a channel, PTC Simran, will be given to SGPC. “This is what they are doing. Are they going to take money to heaven? After July 21, if it becomes free to air, it will be free. I want the Gurbani to be telecast on every channel. Why should anyone commercialise it? Can there be anyone who would sell Gurbani, which is meant for all? The Gurbani should be available on radio also for taxi drivers who do not have access to TV. We want the Gurbani transmitted on every channel.”

SAD member Manpreet Ayali opposed the Bill, saying that it should be withdrawn. “The SGPC should start its own channel… the government should not interfere in the SGPC… Elections are held to this body of Sikhs. Any political party can contest the elections. It was decided that no amendment should be brought to the Gurdwara Act without consulting the SGPC. Whatever amendments were taken up in 1953 and 1959, these were done by the Centre in consultation with SGPC,” Ayali said.

The government and SGPC should sit together and find a solution, Ayali said. “I do not suspect the intent of the government as we also want transparency but it would be a wrong precedent and the future governments will also muddle with Sikh affairs. Akal Takhat, SGPC and SAD are Sikh organisations and they need to be strengthened,” Ayali added.

BSP’s Nachhattar Pal also said the Gurbani should be made free but the Bill should be reconsidered and issues should be sorted out.

SAD’s Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi also opposed the Bill stating that the government should not meddle with Sikh affairs.

AAP members Ajitpal Singh Kohli and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal supported the Bill saying it was not anti-Sikh.

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Section 125-A inserted in the Act stipulates that it will be the duty of the Board to propagate the teachings of the Gurus by making uninterrupted (without any on screen running advertisements/commercials/distortion) live feed (audio or audio as well as video) of Gurbani available free of cost to all media houses, outlets, platforms, channels, whoever wishes to broadcast it.