Sikh leaders reject Indian Army claim of gun deployment at Golden Temple
Top Sikh clergy deny giving army permission; Pakistan calls India’s allegation of planned attack on temple “baseless.”
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Top Sikh religious leaders have dismissed an Indian Army official’s claim that air defence guns were deployed at the Golden Temple in Amritsar earlier this month with permission from temple authorities.
Pakistan has also rejected India’s allegation that it attempted to target the shrine as “absolutely baseless.”
Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D’Cunha, Director General of Army Air Defence, stated to Indian media that the military placed air defence systems at the Golden Temple to counter potential aerial threats from Pakistan.
He asserted that the deployment was conducted with cooperation from Sikh religious leaders.
Speaking to ANI, D’Cunha said, “The head granthi of the Golden Temple allowed us to deploy our guns. It is possibly for the first time in many years that they switched off the Golden Temple lights so that we could see the drone coming.”
He claimed the temple hierarchy acknowledged the threat and allowed the deployment to protect the shrine visited by thousands daily.
However, Sikh authorities have categorically denied these claims.
Giani Amarjeet Singh, additional head priest of Sri Harmandir Sahib, stated, “It is incorrect to say the Army was given permission to deploy air defence guns at Sri Harmandir Sahib. No such permission was granted, and no such deployment occurred.”
The temple complied with a district-mandated blackout, turning off exterior lights, but religious services continued without disruption.
Singh added, “The daily services, including Langar and Akhand Path Sahib, proceeded as usual. No one has the right to interfere.”
Giani Raghbir Singh, the Golden Temple’s head priest, called the military’s statements “propaganda” and urged an investigation.
He noted he was abroad during the period in question and had no communication with the army.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Office dismissed India’s allegations, emphasizing its respect for places of worship.
FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated, “We categorically reject claims that Pakistan attempted to target the Golden Temple. These allegations aim to deflect from India’s actions against places of worship in Pakistan on May 6–7.”
Khan highlighted Pakistan’s custodianship of Sikh holy sites and its visa-free access to Kartarpur, reiterating that the allegations are “baseless and incorrect.”
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