Punjab News: Golden Temple Authorities, SGPC Deny Army’s Claim Of Air Defence Gun Deployment At Shrine

Chandigarh: The head granthi (priest) of the Golden Temple, Amritsar, Giani Raghbir Singh, on Tuesday refuted the statement of Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D’Cunha, the army’s in-charge of air defence, that the latter had permitted the deployment of air defence guns in the Golden temple complex to counter the potential drone and missile threates from Pakistan during Op Sindoor.

Beside Lt Gen D’Cunha, Maj Gen Kartik C Seshadri, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 15 Infantry Div, had also said that Golden Temple was targeted by Pakistan and the India’s air defence system had successfully intercepted and neutralised them.

However, Giani Raghbir Singh, held that although he was on an international visit during the Army operation, there was no communication with him regarding any gun deployment, nor did any such incident occur at Sri Darbar Sahib. He too described the Army officer’s statement as shockingly untrue.

Meanwhile, Giani Amarjeet Singh, additional head granthi of Sri Harmandar Sahib also outrightly rejected it. He clarified that the management of Sri Harmandar Sahib had cooperated with the district administration’s guidelines regarding the city-wide blackout by switching off exterior and upper lights of the complex within the specified time frame. However, lights at locations where religious code of conduct (Maryada) is observed were kept on, and the sanctity the religious place was maintained with full responsibility.

Giani Amarjeet Singh asserted that the claim made by the Army officer that the Head Granthi gave permission for the deploying air defence guns during “Operation Sindoor” is completely false. He emphasised that no such permission was ever granted, nor was any such deployment allowed at this sacred site. He reiterated that the daily religious practices at Sri Darbar Sahib, the Langar of Guru Ramdas Ji, places of Sri Akhand Path Sahib, and other related gurdwaras were conducted as per strict protocols, and no one has the right to interfere with them.

SGPC ALSO REFUTES STATEMENT

Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami also said that while the administration contacted them only about switching off the lights during the blackout, there was no contact from any Army official regarding the installation of air defence guns at Sri Harmandar Sahib.

He expressed surprise that an Army officer would propagate such a claim and demanded that the Government of India clarify why such statements are being issued by Army officials. Dhami acknowledged the commendable role played by the Army and the country during the tense circumstances, but emphasized that spreading such falsehoods about the central religious place of Sikhs days after the events is shockingly untrue.

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