Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the committee has served a legal notice on GTC channel for telecasting live Gurbani Kirtan from Sri Darbar Sahib without authorisation, asserting that all broadcasting rights of Gurbani rest exclusively with the SGPC.Addressing the media, Dhami said GTC had informed the SGPC through a letter that it would begin telecasting live Gurbani Kirtan after referring to a statement made by a spokesperson of the Shiromani Akali Dal. “Yesterday, we received a letter from GTC quoting a statement of an SAD spokesperson, stating that since everyone had been allowed to telecast Gurbani, they would start the live telecast from this morning,” he said.Dhami alleged that GTC started broadcasting Gurbani by picking up the SGPC’s signal from YouTube on its satellite channel without obtaining any approval from the committee. “This is illegal. We have not granted any such permission. A legal notice has been issued to the channel and further action will be taken as required under law,” he said.The SGPC president clarified that, at present, only PTC has been authorised by the committee to telecast Gurbani from Sri Darbar Sahib. He added that no application seeking similar permission had been received from GTC or any other television channel. “Had GTC or any other broadcaster approached the SGPC, the matter could have been considered. No one can assume such rights on their own,” he said.Explaining the background, Dhami said the SGPC had terminated its previous agreement with PTC in 2023, after which the SGPC no longer had any right to collect the earlier annual payment of Rs 2 crore. Since then, the SGPC has been live-streaming Gurbani on its official YouTube and Facebook platforms.He said the move followed directions received from the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to ensure that devotees who do not have access to YouTube should not be deprived of listening to Gurbani through television.Dhami said the SGPC’s executive committee had invited tenders from various broadcasters for satellite telecast. The lowest bidder sought Rs12 lakh per month, amounting to Rs 1.44 crore annually. Following this, PTC volunteered to provide the telecast service free of cost and has continued doing so ever since.The SGPC chief further stated that, in compliance with the directions of the Akal Takht Jathedar, the committee has already initiated the process of launching its own satellite television channel and its representatives have visited New Delhi twice in this regard. However, he said existing Ministry of Information and Broadcasting regulations do not provide for grant of a satellite television licence to a religious institution.”We are continuing our efforts to resolve the issue. Until the SGPC launches its own satellite channel, the telecast rights remain with SGPC. It is solely the SGPC’s prerogative to decide which channel will be granted these rights free of cost. No broadcaster can acquire these rights merely by sending a letter and starting telecast on its own,” Dhami asserted.Commenting on the discussion in the Punjab Assembly over the issue, Dhami said legislators had focused their attention on the SGPC instead of debating the state’s pressing public issues. “The Assembly should hold the government accountable for its own performance rather than concentrating on the affairs of the SGPC,” he added.