Chandigarh
25 May 2023
DIVYA AZAD
The ongoing issue of telecast of the holy Gurbani from the Golden Temple has taken a new turn with J K Jain, a renowned TV programming and production veteran from the region, questioning the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) decision of inviting tenders for live telecast of Gurbani. Expressing dismay over SGPC’s decision in this regard J K Jain, who is also Founder-Chairman of the famous Punjab Today Channel said, “I am surprised over the SGPC’s U-Turn on the issue of telecasting of Gurbani from the Golden Temple for which they are planning to float tenders to seek some production house to telecast live Gurbani worldwide. It is surprising as earlier SGPC had said that it will have its own dedicated channel for the purpose.”
Jain added, “I also want to ask the SGPC management if it will be able to ensure total transparency so that genuine participants in the tendering process get the opportunity to telecast the Gurbani? There are allegations against the channel which has telecast rights that it has commercialised the Gurbani telecast. How will SGPC ensure that the organisation that gets the contract will not commercialise the telecast?”
Jain said further, “The tendering process smacks of commercialization of holy Gurbani which is beyond my comprehension.SGPC itself should telecast Gurbani . I am ready to provide SGPC free of cost advice on how to set up the channel in 1 month’s time .”
Jain, who is also the Founder and Chairman of Punjab Today channel was speaking with media persons at the Press Club here. Jain said, “I had proposed to SGPC long back that I can telecast live Gurbani from Golden Temple worldwide using my resources free of cost and without running any advertisements on the network. All this will be done in high-definition format for 24-hours. There will be no content other than Gurbani and Shabad Kirtan unlike presently where its not pure 24 hours beaming of Gurbani and sikh religion related content. I will also get all contents in the channel approved by the SGPC. I reiterate my commitment even now.”
“My humble submission to SGPC is not to commercialize the Gurbani telecast,” added Jain.
Electronic media tycoon Jain said that his only condition will be that the networks using his feed cannot commercialize the same by selling air time through advertising, etc. It will be a purely Gurbani, Shabad Kirtan, and Sikh religion streaming project, he added. “I have earned a lot through my businesses and now I desire to take this initiative for social good,” summed up Jain.
