SGPC, head priest deny Army officer's claim on air defence guns at Golden Temple during Indo-Pak standoff
CHANDIGARH: A day after Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha hinted that air defence guns were deployed at the Golden Temple in Amritsar to counter potential drone and missile threats from Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and additional head granthi of the Golden Temple Giani Raghbir Singh denied the claim.
In a statement released by the SGPC, Giani Amarjeet Singh, additional head granthi of the Golden Temple, clarified that the management had cooperated with the district administration's guidelines regarding the city-wide blackout by switching off exterior and upper lights of the complex within the specified time frame. However, lights at locations where religious code of conduct (maryada) is observed were kept on, and the sanctity of the religious place was maintained with full responsibility.
Singh claimed that no permission was granted to deploy air defence guns during Operation Sindoor, nor was any such deployment allowed at the sacred site.
Despite the tense situation in recent days, the full religious code of conduct continued at the Golden Temple with dedication and discipline, he said.
SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said the administration contacted them about switching off the lights during the blackout, and they fully cooperated while maintaining the sanctity of the ongoing maryada. However, there was no contact from any Army official regarding the installation of air defence guns at the Golden Temple.
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Indian Express
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