Chandigarh, September 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu has questioned the four-member committee constituted by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami to examine the controversy surrounding an SGPC sarai at Sri Anandpur Sahib and the FIR registered against Amarjit Singh Chawla and Malkit Singh.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Pannu alleged that Dhami was avoiding a press conference and had instead announced the committee through a video, giving it 15 days to submit answers. Pannu questioned the purpose of the 15-day period and said the questions being raised by Sikh intellectuals and organisations would not disappear with the passage of time.
Pannu also questioned the composition of the committee, asking whether its members had the authority or expertise to question senior leaders whose names, he said, had surfaced in the controversy. He specifically referred to allegations and statements concerning Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harjinder Singh Dhami and asked whether the committee would question them.
He further questioned why a retired Sikh judge or an experienced retired police officer with knowledge of law and investigation had not been included if the objective was an impartial inquiry. Pannu said such an inquiry should establish the facts rather than merely delay the matter.
Pannu also sought answers about why the woman at the centre of the controversy was allowed to stay at the SGPC sarai for an extended period and who brought her there. He questioned the alleged roles of Sarabjit Singh Jhinjer and Virsa Singh Valtoha and said the committee should examine the circumstances under which she was brought to the sarai.
The AAP leader alleged that the constitution of the committee and the 15-day timeframe could allow the issue to “cool down”. He said the SGPC should directly answer the Sikh sangat instead of relying solely on the formation of a committee.
Pannu also objected to what he described as attempts to shift attention towards allegations concerning the woman’s character, including references to cases allegedly registered against her and her time in jail. He said the focus should instead remain on questions about the SGPC sarai, the circumstances in which she stayed there and what the SGPC leadership knew about the matter.
Pannu also questioned the silence of senior Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, naming Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia. He also alleged that Congress and BJP leaders were not addressing the controversy publicly, naming Partap Singh Bajwa and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
He further raised questions about the Badal family’s alleged influence over Sikh institutions and said Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harjinder Singh Dhami should answer questions being raised by the Sikh sangat. Pannu also linked the controversy to wider questions surrounding SGPC elections and alleged political interests, including what he described as an understanding between the Badals and the BJP.
Pannu questioned the background of one of the members of the four-member committee, referring to the person’s alleged role in litigation concerning SGPC elections and membership of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. He argued that these issues should be considered while examining the committee’s composition.
Pannu said SGPC members and Sikh organisations had a responsibility to continue raising questions about the controversy. He alleged that the episode had affected the image and credibility of Sikh institutions and called for answers from those responsible for their functioning.
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