‘Shockingly Untrue’: Golden Temple Granthi Responds To Army’s Gun Deployment Claim Amid Pak Drone Threat

Giani Raghbir Singh, head granthi of the Golden Temple, denied Lieutenant General D'Cunha's claim that he permitted air defense gun deployment at the shrine during Operation Sindoor to counter drone threats.

Blackouts were announced in the area, and the lights of even the Golden Temple were switched off. 

The head granthi of the Golden Temple, Giani Raghbir Singh Tuesday refuted the statement of Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D’Cunha, the army’s in charge of air defence, that he had permitted the deployment of air defence guns in the shrine complex to counter the potential threats from drones and missiles during Operation Sindoor.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Lieutenant General D’Cunha had said, “It was very nice that 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," Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha, the Director General of Army Air Defence, noted.

He also said that the unprecedented cooperation from the authorities of the Golden Temple came after they were briefed on the gravity of the threat, following which the guns of the Indian Army were deployed.

The Director General said, “The Golden Temple hierarchy realised there was possibly a threat when it was explained to them. They allowed us to deploy guns to secure and protect the monument of international fame which is visited by hundreds and thousands of people every day.”

Terming the statements “propaganda”, Giani Raghbir Singh said as quoted by Hindustan Times, “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. I was on leave in the US for 22 days. I went on April 24 and returned on May 14. The conflict started after I left and ended before I returned. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee should probe the army’s claims and take departmental action if any SGPC member is found involved in this matter.”

"The SGPC cooperated with the government in implementing the blackout at Sri Harmandar Sahib, but such claims (by the generals) are shockingly untrue,” he added.

In the aftermath of India’s strikes at terror sites in Pakistan, Islamabad launched several missiles and drones in the border areas from Jammu and Kashmir. Amritsar also witnessed such attacks. Blackouts were announced in the area, and the lights of even the Golden Temple were switched off. 

India thwarted all the attacks initiated by Pakistan. A ceasefire was announced by both the countries on May 10.