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Amritsar: A day after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann accused the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) of using the ‘Panth’ as a shield to evade accountability in the case of 328 missing saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh body on Tuesday mounted a sharp counterattack on the AAP-led state government.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami accused the Punjab government of registering an FIR without conducting a proper probe and alleged that the move was aimed at diverting public attention from the government’s performance in an election year.

Dhami asserted that, in accordance with the directions of the Akal Takht Sahib, the state government would not be allowed to interfere in the affairs of Sikh institutions. However, he declined to spell out the SGPC’s next course of action.

Addressing the controversy surrounding the alleged disappearance of 328 saroops, Dhami claimed there was no question of recovery, as the saroops were never misplaced. He alleged that the discrepancy arose due to manipulation of records by “black sheep” within the system who allegedly inflated figures to siphon off extra funds.

Taking strong exception to the registration of an FIR and the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), Dhami said the AAP government had itself earlier acknowledged before the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the SGPC is a competent and autonomous institution authorised to deal with its administrative affairs. “Despite this clear stand, the government has suddenly chosen to register an FIR, exposing its political intent,” he alleged.

Dhami further claimed that the government’s actions amounted to a direct challenge to the authority of the Akal Takht. He said the Takht had already appointed Dr Ishar Singh to conduct a probe into the matter, and based on his report, the SGPC had taken action against employees across ranks. “When the highest temporal authority of the Sikhs has already acted, what justifies the government’s interference?” he asked.

Referring to the high court order repeatedly cited by the state government, Dhami said it actually contained an affidavit acknowledging the SGPC’s jurisdiction and did not direct the registration of any FIR. He accused the Mann government of adopting double standards—recognising the SGPC’s authority on one hand while initiating criminal proceedings against it on the other.

Terming the FIR and SIT as politically motivated, Dhami alleged that the AAP government was deliberately interfering in Sikh religious affairs under false pretences, a move he said would not be accepted by the Sikh community.

The sharp exchange has further escalated tensions between the state government and the SGPC, turning the sensitive issue of the missing saroops into a flashpoint with significant political and religious ramifications in Punjab.