The controversial Satnam Education Trust head Ripudaman Singh Malik spoke like the Sikh he is in a video interview that yes indeed his organization, which includes Balwant Singh Pandher, has been printing the “Saroops” of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji without authorization of Akal Takht or Satnam Parchar Religious Society. Malike, the former Air India bombing suspect, told a reporter in a recent video interview that he printed the Saroops to spread the Gurus’ great message through the holy book and that if Akal Takht wants to punish him, he’s ready for it, as he was only doing so as service to Sikhi. “Yes we printed the Saroops and I’m ready to face any punishment if I have done anything wrong,” Malik told the reporter.

By Mr. X

SURREY – The controversial Satnam Education Trust head Ripudaman Singh Malik spoke like the Sikh he is in a video interview that yes indeed his organization, which includes Balwant Singh Pandher, has been printing the “Saroops” of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji without authorization of Akal Takht or Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) by Satnam Parchar Religious Society.

The printing of Saroops of Sikh holy book by any individual or organization is prohibited, as per a Hukamnama (an official order) issued by Jathedar Singh Sahib Ranjit Singh Ji on April 9, 1998. By printing saroops without community consultation or permission from Akal Takht Sahib, Malik and his organization have come under fire from local Sikhs as well as the Akal Takht, calling for Malik and Pandher to be punished for hurting Sikh sentiment.

Malike, the former Air India bombing suspect, told a reporter in a recent video interview that he printed the Saroops to spread the Gurus’ great message through the holy book and that if Akal Takht wants to punish him, he’s ready for it, as he was only doing so as service to Sikhi.

“Yes we printed the Saroops and I’m ready to face any punishment if I have done anything wrong,” Malik told the reporter. 

The BC Sikh Gurdwara Council had given warning and ultimatum to Malik’s organization including a protest outside the Khalsa School in Surrey, to halt printing and return of any saroops to Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara by 4pm last Saturday.

Following these actions, the printing of Guru Granth Sahib ‘birs’ by Surrey-based Satnam Education Trust has come to an end after it sparked a controversy.

The printing equipment was confiscated by local Sikhs with Malik’s agreement and support.

While the matter has been resolved, many Sikhs and supporters of Malik have said that what Malik and his group were doing was a great service to Sikhism as the Gurus’ great Gurbani should be widely spread and printed in English as well.

The Akal Takht had authorised the SGPC and DSGMC to have exclusive legal rights to print ‘birs’, in order to prevent “blasphemous” acts by private publishers. The SGPC has its publication wing in Gurdwara Ramsar Sahib in Amritsar while the DSGMC has set up a printing press in Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib in Delhi.

The SGPC and DSGMC are also the authorised suppliers of ‘birs’ to Sikhs outside of India, through sea or air route, under strict norms of ‘rahat maryada’.

However, reports have surfaced that two NRIs have set up a printing press in British Columbia and as of today, they have supposedly printed over a dozen copies to test their venture. It was alleged that when they were questioned by the local religious organisations and devotees, they were told that it was all done after procuring permission from the SGPC.

Outrightly rejecting it, SGPC’s general secretary Harjinder Singh Dhami said no individual or organisation or trust was given the permission to publish ‘birs’ in any part of the world. Only the ones that figured in the Akal Takht’s verdict were authorised.

“There were reports that a representative of Satnam Education Trust in Canada claimed to have got written permission from the SGPC to publish ‘birs’, but it is factually incorrect. All these claims are a ‘white lie’ and they have been misguiding the devotees and defying the Akal Takht edict in this regard,” he said. Though, in 2015, a proposal was mooted by the SGPC, under the leadership of Avtar Singh Makkar, to allow printing facilities in Surrey, British Columbia to cater to the increasing demand among the Sikh diaspora, it never fructified.