Chandigarh, August 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Shiromani Akali Dal Punar Surjit Secretary General Gurpartap Singh Wadala on Thursday criticised the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) over its decision to issue a legal notice to a television news channel for allegedly broadcasting Gurbani without authorisation, saying the notice should instead have been served to Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) spokesperson Advocate Arshdeep Singh Kler.
In a written statement, Wadala referred to the SGPC President’s press conference earlier in the day, during which it was announced that legal action was being initiated against a news channel for allegedly starting Gurbani telecast without the committee’s permission.
Wadala claimed that during a press conference held a day earlier, Arshdeep Singh Kler had publicly stated that any television channel could broadcast Gurbani live using the link issued by the SGPC. He questioned whether the SGPC President would issue a legal notice to Kler and seek clarification on the authority under which he allegedly made such an announcement on behalf of the SGPC.
The Akali leader further referred to another press conference addressed by Kler on June 19, in which he had displayed, in chronological order, letters sent by the Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to the Punjab Chief Minister. According to Wadala, those communications had never been made public, and Kler’s actions gave the impression that he was functioning as an authorised spokesperson of the Sri Akal Takht Sahib Secretariat by disclosing confidential correspondence.
Wadala alleged that Kler had now committed another serious violation by making statements regarding Gurbani broadcasting on behalf of the SGPC and said the matter warranted legal scrutiny.
Questioning the SGPC’s stand on Gurbani telecast, Wadala argued that if a television channel associated with the Badal family is permitted to broadcast Gurbani, other channels should not be prevented from offering the same service free of cost merely because of their political affiliations.
He demanded that any television channel complying with prescribed norms and broadcasting Gurbani free of charge should be allowed to do so without discrimination.
The statement was issued to the media by the party’s Media In-charge, Tajinder Singh Pannu.
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