Missing saroops of Guru Granth Sahib: Record of SGPC publishing house sealed

Even the SGPC has demanded a probe from the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. It had said the matter must be probed by a retired judge or any prominent Sikh personality

Amritsar Amid controversy over missing ‘saroops’ (copies) of Guru Granth Sahib in Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) publishing house at Gurdwara Ramsar Sahib on May 19, 2016, the Akal Takht has seized the record of publishing house at the gurdwara on Tuesday. At the time of the incident, the SGPC has claimed that only 14 ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib were damaged

Now, years after the incident, the Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO) had alleged that the damage was done on a mass level and this fact was hidden to save the then SAD-BJP government from public wrath, at a time when the issue of Bargari sacrilege was already on the boil and next assembly polls were close. On the basis of the statement of a retired employee of the SGPC, the PHRO maintained that 267 ‘saroops’ went missing after this incident as per record, and a probe must be conducted to ascertain their even the SGPC had demanded a probe from the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. It had said the matter must be probed by a retired judge or any prominent Sikh personality.whereabouts.

A couple of days ago, even the SGPC had demanded a probe from the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. It had said the matter must be probed by a retired judge or any prominent Sikh personality.

Tuesday’s action came on the direction of Akal Takht’s acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh. Additional head granthi (priest) of Akal Takht Giani Malkiat Singh and Akal Takht jathedar’s personal assistant (PA) Jaspal Singh reached the publishing house on Tuesday afternoon and sealed all record pertaining to the alleged missing ‘saroops’ in a cupboard.

“On the direction of Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, we have sealed the record of all the saroops from 2015 to till date. The SGPC had already requested the jathedar to probe the matter. This record will now be accessed only by the team to which the jathedar will entrust the probe. There is anger among the Sikh sangat about the issue, but the truth will soon come out,” said Giani Malkiat Singh. PA Jaspal Singh said the sealed record include ledgers and other important documents pertaining to publications of Guru Granth Sahibs.