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 President Dhami Terms It ‘Government Interference

FIR Against 16 Triggers Urgent Executive Session

Amritsar: Four days after the police registered an FIR against 16 employees and office-bearers of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) over the case of 328 missing saroops of Guru Granth Sahib, the apex Sikh body has called an emergency meeting of its executive committee on Thursday.The SGPC last convened its executive meeting on November 27.

Dhami Accuses Government of Meddling in Sikh Religious Affairs

Reacting strongly to the developments, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the FIR amounted to “blatant interference” by the government in Sikh religious matters.
He criticised the visit of Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, and AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar to the protest site, alleging that handing over a copy of the FIR to protesters was an attempt to foment unrest.

Protest Led by Sikh Sadbhawna Dal Continues Into Fifth Year

The controversy has remained alive for years, with the Sikh Sadbhawna Dal, led by Baldev Singh Wadala, spearheading a continuous protest on Heritage Street, the key walkway to the Golden Temple.
Joined by various Sikh and farmer organisations, the groups have been demanding a fair and transparent probe into the disappearance of 328 sacred saroops.

FIR Based on Complaint Alleging Sacrilege Since 2016

The FIR was lodged following a complaint by Gurlal Singh, who alleged that “sacrilege of saroops and violation of religious norms” had been occurring for years, starting from May 19, 2016, and that the missing saroops constituted a serious breach of religious sanctity.

Akal Takht Inquiry Found No Sacrilege, Says SGPC

Dhami reiterated that the issue had already been investigated by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of Sikhs.
He said the Akal Takht report made it clear that the matter “was not about sacrilege” but rather about misappropriation of money by certain employees, for which departmental action was taken earlier.