Golden Temple Head Granthi Denies Army's Claim Of Air Defence Guns Deployment At Shrine During Operation Sindoor

Giani Raghbir Singh, the granthi of the Golden Temple, denied Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha's claim that air defence guns were stationed at the shrine.

Lieutenant General D’Cunha, the army’s head of air defence, had stated in an interview with ANI that the head granthi had "allowed us to deploy our guns" at the Golden Temple during Operation Sindoor to counter potential threats.

Giani Raghbir Singh, however, termed these statements as "propaganda." He asserted, "I was not contacted by any army officer. There was no communication on any gun deployment, nor did any such incident occur at Sri Darbar Sahib."

He added that he was on leave in the United States from 24 April to 14 May, which is when the alleged conflict took place and concluded.

In an interview with Amritsar's media, former Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh admitted that "the SGPC cooperated with the government in implementing the blackout at Sri Harmandar Sahib," but he stated that the generals' allegations were "shockingly untrue."

The SGPC also issued an official statement through additional head granthi Giani Amarjit Singh, who officiated during Giani Raghbir Singh’s absence. He clarified that while they cooperated with the district administration’s blackout guidelines by switching off exterior lights, lights in areas where the "maryada (religious code of conduct) is observed" remained on. He explicitly "denied granting any permission to the army" and confirmed that "there was no such deployment at the shrine."

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami corroborated this, stating that "no army officer contacted him, and neither was any air defence gun put up at the shrine." He stated that devotees continued their "sewa (voluntary service)" even during the blackout and would have noticed any such deployment.

While acknowledging the "commendable role played by the armed forces in protecting the country under Operation Sindoor," he stood by the denial. Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj also weighed in, stating, "What has been said (by the generals) does not seem to have happened."