Akal Takht forms 21-member censor board to check Sikh-related movies

Demand for a parallel censor board was raised after the row over controversial movie ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’.
Amritsar : Days after the row over controversial movie “Nanak Shah Fakir”, Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, on Tuesday constituted a 21-member “Sikh Censor Board” to look into movies having Sikh-related content.
Demand for a parallel censor board was raised after the row over the movie, portraying Guru Nanak and his family members in human form, was triggered in March this year when producer Harinder Singh Sikka announced its re-release. Amid growing anger, this movie could not be re-released in Punjab and Akal Takht excommunicated Sikka for defying its directions.
“The board has been constituted in view of the controversies over distortion of facts in movies (documentaries, feature and animation) on Sikh gurus, their family members and Sikh personalities in past,” said Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh.
“After going through the movie scenes related to Sikh history, Sikh heritage and maryada (Sikh code of ethics), the board will submit its report to Akal Takht which will give the final decision,” said Giani Gurbachan Singh.
Simarjit Singh, assistant secretary (dharam parchar), Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, has been appointed coordinator of the board.
The members of the board are Giani Harpreet Singh, jathedar, Takht Damdama Sahib; Giani Maan Singh, granthi, Harmandar Sahib; Bhagwant Singh Sialka, executive member, SGPC; Hardeep Singh Mohali, member, SGPC; Bibi Kiranjot Kaur, member, SGPC; Balwinder Singh Jaurasingha, secretary (dharam parchar), SGPC; Paramjit Singh, chairman (dharam parchar), DSGMC; Giani Parminder Singh, representative, Damdami Taksal; Giani Jasbir Singh Rode, former jathedar, Akal Takht; Giani Resham Singh, representative, Budha Dal (Nihang sect); Baba Nagar Singh Chabewal, representative, Tarna Dal (Nihang sect); Partap Singh, representative, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle; Pritpal Singh, president, Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib, Ludhiana; Balkar Singh, Sikh scholar, Patiala; Inderjit Singh Gogoani, GNDU, Amritsar; Prof Amarjit Singh, GNDU, Amritsar; Gurmeet Singh Sidhu, Punjabi University, Patiala; Prof Sarabjit Singh, PAU, Ludhiana; Sarabjinder Singh, Sikh scholar, Ludhiana; Harpal Singh Pannu, Sikh scholar, Patiala and Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, member, SGPC.