Keep broadcasting Gurbani for the time being, SGPC to PTC

Amritsar: In an unexpected development amid controversy of giving ‘sole rights’ to a private channel to telecast Gurbani kirtan from the Golden Temple’s sanctum sanctorum, the SGPC has appealed PTC to continue the service ‘till it plans to launch its own satellite channel gets materialised’.

Centre’s nod must

The SGPC has already initiated the exercise to obtain permission from the Centre. It may take around 2-3 months to complete the formalities. Gurcharan Singh Grewal, SGPC Gen Secy

At a time when the SGPC was planning to launch its YouTube channel on July 24, a day after the expiry of 11-year-old ‘irrevocable’ agreement with G Next Media Private Limited, the company that owns PTC channels, SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal said the PTC management would be approached to extend its services as a stop-gap arrangement so that the devotees should savour the uninterrupted Gurbani kirtan.

Grewal said in view of the sentiments of the Sikh community and complying with the orders of Akal Takht, it was decided to appeal to G Next Media to continue the Gurbani broadcast beyond the agreement.

“As the agreement with the channel was expiring on July 23, the SGPC had plans to start the service of Gurbani broadcast on its YouTube channel from July 24. But, on the demand of ‘Sangat’, the Jathedar has directed to have telecast on a satellite channel too to widen its reach,” he said. He clarified that this arrangement would be applicable till the SGPC would be able to launch its own satellite channel.

“The SGPC has already undertaken the exercise to procure permission from the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It is a time-consuming exercise and may take 2-3 months to furnish the formalities,” he said.

CM questions committee

• CM Bhagwant Mann dared the SGPC to explain why it was eager to hand over the rights to only one channel instead of making it free to air
• The CM underlined government attempts at introducing free-to-air telecast of Gurbani for all channels. If the SGPC had hiccups with allowing all, the govt was ready to make arrangements for the sewa in 24 hours, it was pointed out