Mann criticises guv for delay in signing Sikh gurdwaras bill

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday wrote to governor Banwarilal Purohit, accusing him of delaying his clearence of the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, adding that not signing the bill amounted to “stifling the democratic will of the people of Punjab.”In his letter, Mann wrote: “As per our information, SGPC’s agreement with the channel expires on July 23. In case you do not sign the bill immediately, it may lead to a situation where millions of devotees across the world are deprived of watching the live telecast of Holy Gurbani. This will seriously hurt their religious sentiments.”He added that the bill was sent for the governor’s signatures on June 23. “However, it is regretted that the bill has not been signed till date,” read the letter.Tweeting a copy of the letter, Mann said, “Will not let the telecast rights of Holy Gurbani go into the hands of people close to the Badal family’s channel again.”The chief minister added in the letter, “As you are aware, one particular channel owned by a political family has monopolised telecast of Sarab Sanjhi Gurbani from Sri Harmandir Sahib and has been making profits from it. In order to propagate the teachings of Holy Gurus and in order to make telecast of Gurbani freely available to all, the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 for inserting Section 125-A in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 was introduced in Vidhan Sabha and passed with overwhelming majority.”Mann told the governor, “Hence, I urge upon you to sign the at the earliest, so that telecast of Gurbani from Sri Harmandir Sahib could be made freely available to all through various channels and media.”The Punjab legislative assembly had on June 20 this year passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to ensure ‘free’ telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. However, the move has come under sharp criticism.