Amritsar, May 20: Sri Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) head granthi Giani Raghbir Singh on Tuesday firmly denied the Indian Army’s claim that shrine authorities had permitted deployment of air defence guns within the Sri Harmandar Sahib complex during heightened tensions with Pakistan.
The rebuttal follows a statement by Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D’Cunha, the army’s air defence commander, who told ANI in an interview on Monday that “the head granthi of the Golden Temple allowed us to deploy our guns,” describing it as an example of unprecedented cooperation.
Responding to the claim, Giani Raghbir Singh said, “The SGPC cooperated with the government in implementing the blackout at Sri Harmandar Sahib, but such claims (by the generals) are shockingly untrue.” The priest, who is also a former Akal Takht jathedar, emphasized that religious protocols were maintained and no such permission was granted.
Major General Kartik C. Seshadri, the general officer commanding (GOC) of the 15 Infantry Division, had earlier said Pakistan targeted the Golden Temple with drones and missiles, and India’s air defence successfully neutralized the threats.
However, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) issued a formal clarification through additional head granthi Giani Amarjit Singh, who officiated in Giani Raghbir Singh’s absence. He confirmed that while the SGPC followed district administration orders regarding blackout protocol — including switching off exterior lights — there was no deployment of air defence systems inside the premises. “Lights where maryada is observed were kept on, and the sanctity of the place was not compromised,” he said.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami also rejected the military officers’ statements, stating, “No army officer contacted me, and no air defence gun was put up at the shrine.” He added that devotees continued their sewa (voluntary service) uninterrupted, and “had any such military deployment taken place, the sangat would have noticed.”
While refuting the army’s version, Dhami acknowledged and praised the role of Indian armed forces during Operation Sindoor, India’s military response following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Meanwhile, Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj also questioned the army’s account. “What has been said (by the generals) does not seem to have happened,” he told reporters.
The controversy comes amid ongoing sensitivities about religious sanctity and military presence around historical Sikh shrines, particularly in the backdrop of Punjab’s border security concerns.
Read More: Harmandir Sahib Was Targeted During India-Pakistan Escalation: Defence Official
