Chandigarh, October 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu on Tuesday said the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) belongs to the entire Sikh community and asserted that questions being raised over the controversy involving a Bahrain woman’s stay at an SGPC sarai were aimed at those responsible for running the institution, not the institution itself.
Addressing a press conference, Pannu questioned SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami over several aspects of the matter and said those holding positions of responsibility must also be accountable for decisions taken under their watch.
“There is no attack on the institution (SGPC). This is about asking questions to the people who are running it,” Pannu said, adding that the SGPC had been established through the sacrifices of the Sikh community and contributions from the Guru Nanak Naam Leva Sangat.
Pannu sought clarification on who had recommended the booking of rooms for the woman at sarais in Amritsar and Sri Anandpur Sahib. He said booking records should establish who made the reservations and under whose recommendation.
He also demanded that the application allegedly submitted by the woman seeking Rs 1 lakh in assistance for cancer treatment be made public after removing her name and other identifying details. He sought disclosure of the medical documents submitted, the person who recommended the assistance and the circumstances surrounding the request.
Pannu said questions about the woman’s alleged mental health should not be used to avoid addressing factual issues concerning room bookings, vehicles, drivers, staff and the assistance sought.
He also questioned the SGPC’s 15-day fact-finding exercise, asking whether the committee had examined managers, staff, vehicle movement records, drivers and booking records at different sarais.
“Merely checking a few sarai registers cannot answer the larger questions,” Pannu said, stressing that the inquiry should establish who facilitated the woman’s stay and why she remained there for an extended period.
On claims that no official vehicle or employee had been provided to the woman, Pannu said vehicle movement records and driver details could help establish what actually happened. Referring to statements by Amarjit Singh Chawla regarding a driver, he said the fact-finding committee should examine such information rather than dismissing it as a separate issue.
Pannu also questioned Dhami’s proposal for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry, citing the agency’s earlier handling of the 2015 sacrilege cases. He said that if a CBI probe was proposed, its previous record in related cases should also be discussed.
The AAP leader further questioned the silence of Shiromani Akali Dal leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia, besides BJP and Congress leaders, over the controversy.
“If these leaders claim to be concerned about Sikh institutions, why are Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia silent when serious questions are being raised about the functioning of the SGPC?” he asked.
Pannu said questioning office-bearers was necessary to protect the institution’s credibility and should not be portrayed as an attack on the SGPC.
He said the institution’s sarais were traditionally intended to provide safe accommodation to devotees and their families, adding that concerns arising from the controversy could not simply be dismissed without factual answers.
Pannu said he personally respected Dhami and others associated with the SGPC but maintained that holding public responsibility also required accountability.
He also referred to documents allegedly submitted to the SGPC concerning irregularities and urged Dhami to examine them and respond on the basis of records.
“The purpose is not to damage the SGPC. The purpose is to ensure accountability and protect the dignity of the institution,” Pannu said.
FOLLOW NOW
