Amritsar:
The army said on Tuesday that no air defense guns or any other air defense resources were deployed inside the Golden Temple campus during Operation Sindoor. In view of the claim reports, it was reported that the Golden Temple Management had allowed the army to deploy air defense guns inside the pilgrimage to counter a possible drone and missile threats from Pakistan.
An army statement said that some media reports are roaming regarding the deployment of Eddie (Air Defense) gun in Golden Temple.
Earlier, dismissing the reports, the Budbandhak Committee (SGPC) on the Shiromani Gurudwara, the prominent priest of the pilgrimage and the top religious body of the Sikhs, said that the Indian Army was not allowed to deploy any air defense guns.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami also said that while the administration contacted the closure of lights during the blackout after increasing the tension between India and Pakistan, he fully supported the interest of administrative responsibility while maintaining the sanctity of the ongoing ‘Merida’ (conduct).
Shri Dhami said that there was no contact with any army officer about the establishment of air defense guns in Shri Harmandar Sahib.
Jiyani Raghbir Singh, head of Harmander Sahib, also clarified that although he was on a foreign trip during Operation Sindoor, there was no communication with him about the deployment of any gun, nor did any such incident happen in the Golden Temple.
Additional head priest of Golden Temple Jiyani Amarjeet Singh said that it is not true that the army was allowed to deploy air defense guns inside the temple to combat Pakistan from Pakistan. Mr. Singh said that this claim was shocking and dismissed it outright.
No permission was given to install guns, he said.
He clarified that the management of Harmandar Sahib had collaborated with the district administration guidelines about the city-wide blackout by closing the outer and upper lights of the campus within the specified time limit.
However, the lights at the places where religious code of conduct are seen, was kept, and the purity was maintained with full responsibility, he said.
Mr. Singh reiterated that Shri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple), Guru Ramdas ji’s langar, the places of Sri Akhand Path Sahib and the daily religious practices of other related gurudwaras were operated according to strict protocols, and no one has the right to intervene with them.
Despite the tense situation in recent times, the complete religious code of conduct in Harmandar Sahib continued with dedication and discipline, he said.
Mr. Singh also clarified that no light was closed at any religious place, where ‘Marida’ was being seen, even during blackout.
SGPC chief Dhami said that only the external lights were closed after the district administration guidelines, based on the consultation of Mr. Singh.
He said that even during the blackout, a large number of devotees continued to visit and continued to do ‘Seva’ (voluntary service) and there was any incident like gun deployment, Sangat (congregation) must have seen and seen.
Shri Dhami accepted the commendable role played by the army and the country during stressful circumstances, and emphasized that “after the incidents spread such lies about the central religious place of the days after the incidents, the events are untrue”.
He also demanded clarification from the government.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)
