The management of Gurdwara Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib Ji has publicly rejected Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s statement regarding the recovery of 169 missing saroops. The management clarified that the saroops cited were neither missing nor recovered and provided detailed records of their publication and deposition as per Sikh religious protocol.
The management of Gurdwara Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib Ji on Saturday strongly refuted Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s claim that a Special Investigation Team had recovered 169 missing saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Addressing a press conference, the management termed the statement misleading and said it was issued to divert attention from the Chief Minister’s clarification pending before Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
According to the management, the claim of recovery does not align with historical and institutional records. They stated that out of the 169 saroops mentioned, 107 were officially published by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee between 1978 and 2012. These saroops, they asserted, were never missing and their publication details are clearly documented.
The management further clarified that the remaining 62 saroops were printed through multi-printing presses during the same period. These, too, were part of routine printing practices and cannot be described as recovered or unaccounted for sacred scriptures.
Providing additional context, the management stated that between 1978 and 2012, a total of 79 saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji were published. They also informed that 30 old saroops have already been respectfully deposited at Goindwal Sahib in strict accordance with Sikh religious maryada and long-established protocol.
The management expressed concern over what they described as the politicisation of deeply sensitive religious matters. They urged political leaders to exercise caution and responsibility while making public statements related to Sikh institutions and sacred scriptures, warning that inaccurate claims could hurt religious sentiments and create unnecessary confusion within the community.
They reiterated that issues related to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji should be addressed through Panthic institutions and religious authorities rather than through political announcements. The press conference concluded with an appeal for transparency, factual accuracy, and respect for Sikh traditions in all public discourse.