Amid circulating media reports suggesting the deployment of air defence (AD) guns within the Golden Temple complex during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army on Tuesday clarified that no such deployment was made inside the premises of Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar (the Golden Temple).
In a statement, the Army said, “It is clarified that NO AD guns or any other AD resources were deployed within the premises of Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar (The Golden Temple)”, news agency ANI reported.
This clarification comes after remarks made by senior Army officers appeared to suggest otherwise. In an interview with ANI on Monday, Lieutenant General D’Cunha had said, “It was very nice that the head granthi of the Golden Temple allowed us to deploy our guns.” He added that the unprecedented cooperation from the Golden Temple authorities came after they were briefed on the gravity of the threat, following which Indian Army guns were deployed.
Earlier, Major General Kartik C Seshadri, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 15 Infantry Division, had stated that the Golden Temple was targeted by Pakistan forces using missiles and drones. He claimed India’s air defence system successfully intercepted and destroyed the threats to protect the shrine.
However, these statements have been categorically denied by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said no permission was given for the installation of air defence guns inside the shrine. He clarified that while the district administration had approached SGPC regarding blackout procedures amid heightened security concerns, there was no discussion or approval regarding weapons deployment.
According to news agency PTI, Dhami added, “There was no contact from any Army official regarding the installation of air defence guns at Sri Harmandar Sahib.” He emphasised that the SGPC fully cooperated in the interest of administrative responsibility while maintaining the sanctity of the ongoing maryada (religious code of conduct).
Additional head priest of the shrine, Giani Amarjeet Singh, termed the claim of Army deployment as “shockingly untrue” and unequivocally denied it. “No permission for installing guns was ever given,” he asserted.
‘Shockingly Untrue’: Harmandar Sahib’s Head Granthi, Giani Raghbir Singh Slams ‘Falsehoods’
Harmandar Sahib’s Head Granthi, Giani Raghbir Singh, who was on a foreign visit during the operation, also confirmed that he received no communication regarding any deployment. He affirmed that no such incident occurred at the Golden Temple.
Singh further explained that while the management complied with district administration guidelines during the city-wide blackout by switching off exterior and upper lights, lights in areas where the religious code of conduct is observed were kept on. “The sanctity of the religious place was maintained with full responsibility,” he said.
He also reiterated that daily religious practices at Sri Darbar Sahib, including the Langar of Guru Ramdas Ji, Sri Akhand Path Sahib, and other related gurdwaras, continued without disruption and in strict adherence to religious protocol. “No one has the right to interfere with them,” he added.
Even during the blackout, large numbers of devotees continued to visit and offer sewa (voluntary service), SGPC chief Dhami said. “Had there been any such event like gun deployment, the Sangat (congregation) would certainly have noticed and seen it,” he pointed out.
While acknowledging the commendable role played by the Army and the country during the tense situation, Dhami criticised the spread of misinformation. “Spreading such falsehoods about the central religious place of Sikhs days after the events is shockingly untrue,” he said, and demanded a clarification from the government.
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