Missing 'saroops' case: Records at Nawanshahr shrine found to be correct, says FM Cheema

Days after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed that 169 of the 328 'missing saroops' (sacred copies) of the Guru Granth Sahib have been traced from a religious place in Nawanshahr, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday evening said records pertaining to the Sikh holy book at the shrine were found to be correct.

When asked whether the Punjab Police's special investigation team was negligent in sharing information with CM Mann about 'saroops', Cheema replied there was some ''miscommunication'' which is over now.

On January 14, Mann had said that 169 sacred copies of the Guru Granth Sahib had been recovered by the SIT probing the 328 missing 'saroops' of the Sikh holy book.

''Of the 169 'saroops' found from a religious place near Banga in Nawanshahr, 139 have no official record. Only 30 'saroops' have a record...,'' Mann had said while addressing a gathering during the Maghi Mela in Muktsar on January 14.

However, the management of the Rasokhana Shri Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib later had countered the claims of the CM, claiming that all 'saroops' were accounted for.

A delegation of the Punjab government comprising Cheema and cabinet minister Harjot Singh Bains visited the Rasokhana Shri Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib gurdwara in Nawanshahr on Monday and met its management committee.

The development came a day after Banga MLA Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi announced that he was resigning as the chairman of the Punjab State Container and Warehousing Corporation (Conware) and relinquishing his Cabinet rank, saying he was hurt after doubts were raised about Rasokhana Shri Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib Gurdwara.

Speaking to reporters in Nawanshahr on Monday evening, FM Cheema said CM Mann will visit the religious place soon.

''For a long time, 328 'saroops' of Guru Granth Sahib have been missing. There has been restlessness among the 'sangat' (devotees) that these saroops should be traced and remain in safe hands,'' said Cheema.

The FM said no discrepancy has been found in the record at the Rasokhana Shri Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib.

The record was found to be correct, he said adding that there was neither any case against the management committee of the Rasokhana earlier nor now.

Cheema, however, said the probe into missing 328 saroops will continue.

Meanwhile, opposition party leaders attacked Mann, seeking his resignation as the CM.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, ''After Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema's official statement that all the records of 'Saroops' at Shri Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib Gurdwara are accurate, CM Bhagwant Mann has lost all moral authority to continue and must resign.

On Maghi Mela, the CM claimed 169 Saroops were traced from Raja Sahib's place near Banga but now his own FM terms it a ''miscommunication'' between the SIT and the govt. ''Why is the SIT reporting to the CM instead of a court of law? What will happen to the FIR registered in this matter? Who will be held accountable for misleading the public and hurting the sentiments of lakhs of devotees? All these are serious questions which must be answered by the CM,'' said the Akali leader.

Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira lashed out at the AAP government for taking a 'U-turn' over its earlier allegations and demanded an apology from Mann for misleading the Sikh community.

''Now that Fm @HarpalCheemaMLA and @AamAadmiParty have made a complete U-Turn about their earlier allegations of missing Saroop's from Raja Sahib shrine near Banga in Punjab i urge @BhagwantMann to tender a public apology for misleading the #Sikh community over a sensitive matter like the missing 328 Saroop's of Guru Granth Sahib ji.

It is now abundantly clear that @AAPPunjab govt is not at all serious to resolve the issue just as it has dragged its feet over justice in the #Bargari & #Behbal killings during the last 4 years of its rule,'' said Khaira in a post.

Punjab Police has been probing into the 328 missing 'saroops' of the Guru Granth Sahib. The police had registered a case in Amritsar against 16 people, including SGPC's former chief secretary and the CA in connection with the disappearance of 'saroops' in 2020.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)