Chandigarh, January 14, 2020: The issue of a private TV channel blocking the further broadcast of ‘Hukumnama’ audio and denying access from SGPC’s social media portals has reached Akal Takht with Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh directing SGPC and PTC Network to submit documents relating to the latter having exclusive rights over of ‘Hukamnama’ and ‘Gurbani’ from the Golden Temple.
Following this development, Rabindra Narayan, MD & President, PTC Network, issued the following statement:
“For last 22 years, me and my team, immersed in love of Guru have been engaged in telecast of sacred Gurbani and Hukumnama from sacred Sri Harmandir Sahib for Sikh sangat and are fortunate to be blessed for that. We were chosen for this service by Guru by following rules and regulations of the Sikh qaum and we have been fortunate in discharging our duties selflessly. We cannot thank Sikh sangat for choosing us and giving us the sewa, whereas, getting immersed in service and with blessing of Guru, we have been carying out this.
At the same time some people and institutions in utter violation of Gur Maryada have been trying to commercially exploit the sacred Hukumnama and under its garb promoting highly objectionable and obscene content. They have been trying to market this obscene and objectionable content under the garb of Gurbani which no follower of Guru Nanak or Sikhism can ever tolerate. We have already clarified that Gurbani is heavenly invoking and nobody has any copyright on it. But, Sikh sangat will never ever accept any commercial group or organisation to use objectionable crude and obscene methods to make commercial gains and by belittling ever supreme and sacred scriptures of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Our objection was limited to this sacrilege of sacred Gurbani.
We clarify and also make it clear to the Sangat that no one has copyright on Gurbani. In law and in Facebook’s technical language, copyright is used for a different purpose and to confuse it with copyright of sacred scriptures is intentionally wrong and unfounded. This is language of Facebook and is used for every copyright agreement signed by it. To end this unwarranted and unsavoury controversy and as our duty towards Sikh quam we clarify that from our web portal anybody can take sacred Hukumnama and use any means to disseminate it to public and we neither and nor will have any objection to it.
To do this, those violating gur maryada or committing sacrilege of gurbani, we leave it to an elected Sikh parliament of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and ever supreme Sri Akal Takht Sahib and esteemed Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib. We also want to make it clear that Hukumnama posted on website of sacred Sachkhand Sri Darbar Sahib, can be used by anybody to disseminate it. There is no restriction on it. Anybody can take feed on sacred Hukumnama and disseminate it.
It is why, any controversy on disseminating sacred Hukumnama is uncalled for.
We are clarifying the entire situation to the SGPC and Sri Akal Takht Sahib. In addition, now whatever Sri Akal Takht Sahib decides and directs, we will accept with utmost respect. Since the Sikh Panth is already confronted by various issues and problems, we do not want to aggravate this issue any further and have decided accordingly.
We want to bring it to the attention of the Sikh Sangat that for telecast of Gurbani from Sri Hemkund Sahib, one private channel was paid lakhs of rupees. Similarly, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee also paid money to two private channels for telecast of Gurbani from two Gurdwaras. We are not only carrying out this sacred sewa free of cost but also pay requisite fee (sewa) to the SGPC. Since 2012-13, we have paid more than Rs 10 crore to SGPC. Still, if anybody has any doubts or questions and want to discuss it further, our doors are always open.”