FATEHGARH SAHIB:  Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar said that members of a Sikh organization recently attacked the office of a music channel MTV at Mumbai as the channel has hurt the sentiments of Sikhs by put up a defamatory poster.

Talking to media persons on Tuesday after flagging off an ambulance  and inaugurating CCTV cameras at Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, Makkar said that no one has right to hurt sentiments of Sikhs. He said it was not first time when the sentiments of Sikhs were hurt.  He said in past  such incidents happened several time and the SGPC had repeatedly request the Union government to induct representatives of SGPC in censor board or any other organization which could check the contents of pictures or serial  related with Sikh community and stop any violation. 

 When asked, "Will he justify the attack on MTV office by group of Sikhs", he replied it was not attack. He said it was only protest of Sikhs.

He said earlier there was controversy about comedy –action film 'Singh is King' that Sikhs were pictures in poor shape in the picture. He said when the matter came to notice of the SGPC it immediately swung into action. A meeting was held between SGPC representative and the film producer and all objectionable scenes in pictures have removed. He said that the producer of the picture had also given in writing on Rs 100 affidavit about it.  He said now SGPC panel have cleared the picture. 

He said a case was recently brought to notice of SGPC that a Jalandhar based publisher had published wrong information about a Sikh Master in its G.K. book but later the published had apologized. He said that such acts should not be done for which one had to apologise later.

He said Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib falls under section 85 is the first Gurdwara where Ambulance have started. He said that if the experiment prove successful it would be implemented in other section 85 Gurdwaras as these are directly under control of SGPC whereas Gurdwara under section 87 are under control of local Gurdwara committees.

On the conflict between Takht Sri Patna Sahib Jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh and other Jathedars, he said it would be settled amicably. On statement of Giani Iqbal Singh that Takht Patna Sahib is second after Akal Takht and it is competent to take decision after Akal Takht and he(Iqbal Singh) will issue 'white paper' about 'misdeeds' of Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti, he said Iqbal Singh has no stand. He said that serious allegations have already leveled on Iqbal Singh so he has no right to work on his present position. 

On the recently  meeting of the Sikh clergy at Takht Hazoor Singh in which Vedanti was criticized for holding a meeting on June 6 without invitation to Takht Patna Sahib, Makkar refused to comment on it. He said that he will not want to create any controversy.  He said that Akal Takht Jathedar had already asked Sikh sangat not to raise any controversy till completion of Gurtagadi functions.

On SAD (A) president Simranjit Singh Mann demanding his resignation, Makkar said that Mann used to issue unnecessary statement. There is no base of Mann and his party in Punjab.

On police protection to Sikh pilgrims to Hemkhund Sahib in Uttranchal, Makkar said that it was brought to his notice by Sant Beant Singh that there is clash between Sikh pilgrims and Uttranchal residents. He said he immediately discussed the matter with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Badal further take up matter with Uttranchal CM so now heavy security is provided to deal any untoward situation.

He also appreciated the British police effort which spent a whopping 1, 00,000 pound trying to adapt a helmet to fit over a Sikh cop's turban.

Telling about his recent Ahmadabad (Gujarat) visit, Makkar said that a Sikh devotee had given 20,000 yard land free of cost to SGPC to set up a Parchar Mission there.

Expressing his annoying with Railway Minister Laloo Parshad Yadav, Makkar said that he had sought appointment from  Laloo's Personal Assistant(PA) several times to fix meeting with the minister for training some special trains for forthcoming 'Gurtagudi Diwas' functions but the minister did not give meeting time till today. He said that it is indifferent attitude of the Railway Minister.  He said that he was recently in Ahmadabad but there is no train from Ahmadabad to Amritsar if any devotees want to board train to pay obeisance at Darbar Sahib.

Former Minister Randhir Singh Cheema, SGPC members Ravinder Singh Khalsa, Bibi Surinder Kaur, senior Akali leader Jagdeep Singh  also expressed their views.