SGPC files complaint against GTC Network over unauthorised broadcast of gurbani from Golden Temple
PTC News Desk: The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has filed a complaint with the Amritsar Police Commissioner against GTC Network over unauthorised broadcast of Gurbani from Golden Temple, Amritsar.
The SGPC has demanded appropriate legal action, claiming that it has the exclusive authority to grant permission for the broadcast of Gurbani from Sri Darbar Sahib.
"SGPC holds the sole legal authority to grant or withhold permission to any entity for the telecast of Gurbani from Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar," the complaint read.
It further added, "PTC continues, to date, to manage the complete technical arrangement for SGPC's Gurbani live telecast on YouTube, on SGPC's behalf and under its authorization, and no other entity, including GTC, has ever been granted any corresponding right or authorization."
GTC's unauthorised telecast
GTC commenced telecasting Gurbani without seeking or obtaining any approval or authorization from SGPC. Upon becoming aware of this, SGPC issued a legal notice to GTC calling upon it to cease the unauthorized telecast, annexed hereto.
Despite the said legal notice, GTC's Managing Director, Mr. Rabinder Narayan, publicly stated in the media that GTC would continue the telecast regardless and that SGPC could "do whatever it wanted"; a recording/transcript of this statement is annexed hereto.
The SGPC in its complaint further added, "Given the religious significance of Gurbani and Sri Harmandir Sahib to the Sikh community worldwide, and the emotive and deeply personal nature of this subject matter for the Sangat, SGPC apprehends that the continued unauthorized telecast, taken together with the continued dissemination of false and inflammatory statements against SGPC, carries a genuine and immediate risk of provoking discord, confrontation and disturbance to public peace and communal harmony if not promptly checked. This is not a matter that SGPC considers can safely be left to run its course; the longer such statements remain in public circulation, the greater the risk of their being amplified, believed and acted upon by sections of the Sangat."
The SGPC alleged that GTC Network sent a letter at around 9 pm requesting permission to broadcast the live programme. However, without waiting for a response to the letter, the network allegedly obtained the link from the SGPC's YouTube channel early the next morning and started rebroadcasting the programme.
The SGPC maintained that although anyone can share a live link, no channel is permitted to rebroadcast the content without the committee's approval.
Meanwhile, the Amritsar Police Commissioner has assured the SGPC that the matter will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken.
- PTC NEWS
