Few matters are more sensitive to the Sikh community than the manner in which Sri Guru Granth Sahib is transported and handled. The Guru Granth Sahib is not ordinary material or cargo. The transportation, installation and care of the sacred saroop carry profound religious significance and must be conducted with the highest level of reverence, cleanliness, discipline and adherence to Sikh maryada.Link of viral video here
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That is why the images and videos circulating publicly, which are being presented as showing individuals carrying Sri Guru Granth Sahib and placing the sacred saroops inside vans where liquor was allegedly present, have raised serious concerns among members of the Sikh community. These claims should not simply be accepted because they appear on social media. But neither should they be dismissed without investigation.
The answer must come from facts, not arguments.
Who were the people shown in the footage? Who owned or operated the vehicles? Where were the vehicles going? Who authorised the transportation? What exactly was inside the vans? Was liquor actually present? Were the vehicles being used exclusively for transporting Sri Guru Granth Sahib? Who was supervising the process? Were proper records maintained? These questions deserve clear answers.
There is an important distinction between an allegation and an established fact. A photograph or video may provide a reason for investigation, but it does not by itself establish the complete circumstances surrounding an event. The original footage, date, location, vehicles, people involved and surrounding circumstances should therefore be independently verified before anyone is publicly condemned.
But if the allegations are substantiated, the matter becomes extremely serious.
The SGPC and other Sikh institutions entrusted with the care of saroops must have strict protocols governing transportation. Vehicles used for this sacred purpose should be properly designated, clean, inspected and used in accordance with established maryada. Personnel involved should be trained and their responsibilities should be clearly recorded.
There should also be a documented chain of custody. The institution should be able to establish where every saroop came from, when it left, who transported it, which vehicle was used, where it arrived and who received it.
This is not unnecessary bureaucracy. It is basic accountability when dealing with something held sacred by the Sikh community.
The presence of liquor, if established in a vehicle being used to transport Sri Guru Granth Sahib, would raise an obvious question about supervision and maryada. It would not be enough simply to blame the person standing closest to the vehicle. The institution would also have to examine who authorised the transportation, who selected the vehicle, who inspected it and who was responsible for supervision.
If a system allows such a situation to occur, the system itself must be examined.
The Sikh community should not be forced to rely on social-media videos to discover how sacred saroops are being transported. There should be enough transparency within the institutional system that basic questions can be answered immediately through official records.
The SGPC should consider establishing a uniform transportation protocol applicable to every institution under its control. There should be designated vehicles, trained personnel, written authorisation, inspection procedures and documented arrival and departure records. Any violation should trigger an immediate inquiry.
At the same time, there must be fairness toward individuals who appear in disputed footage. If a person is shown carrying a saroop, that image alone does not establish wrongdoing. The circumstances must be understood before conclusions are drawn. Public outrage cannot replace investigation.
But institutional silence cannot replace investigation either.
If the footage is authentic and the allegations are correct, the Sikh community deserves to know how such a violation occurred. If the footage has been misunderstood or the allegations are false, the community deserves that clarification just as clearly.
There should be no selective accountability.
No individual should receive protection because of political influence, institutional connections or personal relationships. Equally, no individual should be condemned simply because social media has identified them as a target.
The purpose of an inquiry should be to establish facts and protect maryada—not to settle personal or political scores.
This issue also raises a deeper concern about the management of Sikh institutions. Religious institutions cannot expect the community to maintain confidence in them if basic questions about the handling of Sri Guru Granth Sahib remain unanswered.
The Guru’s dignity must be protected before controversy begins, not defended only after photographs and videos appear online.
The Sikh community is therefore entitled to ask for an independent and transparent examination of the circumstances shown in the footage. The original material should be authenticated, the vehicles and individuals identified, the contents of the vehicles verified and the complete chain of responsibility established.
If there was no violation, the facts should clear the air.
If there was negligence, responsibility should be fixed.
If there was a deliberate violation of maryada, appropriate religious and legal action should follow.
And if the existing system itself is inadequate, it should be immediately strengthened.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib cannot be treated as ordinary cargo to be moved according to convenience. The sacred saroop must always be handled with reverence, discipline and the highest standards of care.
Ultimately, this is not about one van, one photograph or one group of people. It is about whether Sikh institutions have created a system strong enough to ensure that the dignity of Sri Guru Granth Sahib never depends upon individual discretion.
The Sikh community does not need another round of outrage, denial and counter-allegations. It needs the truth. It needs transparency. And above all, it needs a system in which the highest standards of maryada are followed before questions arise not after.