Indian Army Officer's Claim of Air Defence Guns at Golden Temple Denied by SGPC and Darbar Sahib Management
Neither permission was given, nor Air Defence guns were deployed at Sri Darbar Sahib: Harjinder Singh Dhami
Babushahi Bureau
Sri Amritsar, May 20, 2025 – Sikh religious leaders have strongly refuted a claim by Indian Army Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D’Cunha, who alleged in a recent interview that air defence guns were deployed at Sri Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) during heightened India-Pakistan tensions. Giani Amarjeet Singh, Additional Head Granthi of the sacred site, and Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), labeled the statement as “shockingly untrue” and categorically denied any permission or deployment of such weapons at the revered Sikh shrine.
Giani Amarjeet Singh clarified that during the city-wide blackout, Sri Harmandar Sahib cooperated with district administration guidelines by switching off exterior and upper lights, while keeping lights on at sites where religious protocols (Maryada) were observed to maintain the sanctity of the shrine. He emphasized that no permission was granted for deploying air defence guns during the so-called “Operation Sindhoor,” and daily religious practices, including those at Sri Darbar Sahib and Guru Ramdas Ji’s Langar, continued uninterrupted. “No one has the right to interfere with our religious protocols,” he stated, expressing dismay over the officer’s claim.
Advocate Dhami echoed these sentiments, confirming that the SGPC was only contacted about the blackout and complied fully while upholding religious sanctity. He noted that large numbers of devotees continued their Sewa (voluntary service) during this period, and any gun deployment would have been noticed by the Sangat (congregation). Dhami demanded clarification from the Government of India on why such “falsehoods” were being spread about a central Sikh religious site, while acknowledging the Army’s role during the tensions.
Giani Raghbir Singh, Head Granthi, who was abroad during the operation, also denied any communication regarding gun deployment and dismissed the claim as baseless. Sikh leaders have called for accountability, questioning the intent behind the officer’s statement.