Golden Temple: Sikh Leaders Denounce Army Gun Deployment Claims
Army Gun Deployment at Golden Temple: Sikh Leaders Dispute Claims
Tensions are high after a high-ranking Army official suggested that air defense guns were deployed at the Golden Temple in Amritsar earlier this month to counter potential threats from Pakistan. Sikh religious authorities, however, have vehemently denied these claims, stating unequivocally that no such permission was granted, and no such deployment took place.
Clarification from the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
Giani Amarjeet Singh, the additional head granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib (the Golden Temple), issued a statement on behalf of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). He stressed that it is entirely false to say the Army received permission to deploy air defense guns at the Golden Temple. He emphasized that such deployment never occurred.
He further explained that during a recent blackout imposed by the Amritsar district administration, the Golden Temple management cooperated by turning off exterior and upper lights as requested. However, lights remained on in areas where religious practices dictated.
Giani Amarjeet Singh also highlighted that religious services continued uninterrupted throughout this period, including daily seva (services) at Sri Darbar Sahib, Langar (community kitchen), Akhand Path Sahib (continuous reading of scriptures), and other related shrines. He asserted that no one has the right to interfere with these sacred practices.
Questions Regarding the Army Official’s Statement
The SGPC president, Harjinder Singh Dhami, also refuted any coordination with the Army regarding gun deployment. He confirmed that the administration only contacted them to request cooperation with the blackout protocol, and the Temple management switched off external lights after consulting with the additional head granthi. He stated that no Army official contacted them about anything else.
Dhami questioned the basis of the Army official’s statement, stating that if such a deployment had happened, devotees present at the shrine would have undoubtedly noticed it. He demanded a clarification from the Indian government regarding why such statements were being made by Army officials.
Head Granthi Giani Raghbir Singh, who was abroad at the time, echoed these sentiments, stating that no one from the Army contacted him about deploying any guns, and no such event took place at Sri Darbar Sahib. He expressed surprise at the Army official’s claims.
Army’s Previous Statement
On Monday, the Indian Army had stated that it had deployed additional modern air defense assets to counter potential aerial threats from Pakistan targeting critical sites, including the Golden Temple and cities across Punjab.
