‘Singing, dancing’ at event sparks outrage

An event organised by the Punjab language department to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur in Srinagar on Thursday has drawn sharp criticism from Akal Takht, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and various Sikh bodies who slammed ‘the singing and dancing’ on the occasion.

- HT Correspondent

A video of the event, which is now doing the rounds of social media, purportedly shows singer Bir Singh performing on stage while members of the audience dance along. The singer later tendered an apology. This comes in the backdrop of SGPC objecting to the state government holding separate official events to mark the martyrdom day in November.

The SGPC had asked the state government not to ‘interfere’ in religious matters. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann had questioned the objection and asked whether the gurdwara body has a ‘copyright’ over holding such events.

On Friday, both the acting jathedar of Akal Takht and SGPC, in statements, said that the event “has deeply hurt the Sikh sentiments.”