‘No Guns Deployed at Golden Temple’: Indian Army Issues Clarification After SGPC, Granthi Denial
Army denies deploying air defence guns inside Amritsar’s Golden Temple amid Operation Sindoor, following SGPC and religious leaders’ strong rebuttal of earlier claims.
The Indian Army on Tuesday officially denied deploying any air defence (AD) guns inside Amritsar’s Golden Temple, following outrage and denial from Sikh religious leaders and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) over earlier claims made by a senior Army officer during Operation Sindoor.
The controversy erupted after Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D’Cunha claimed in a media interview that air defence guns were placed inside the Golden Temple premises with the Head Granthi’s permission to defend against possible Pakistani drone and missile attacks.
Reacting swiftly, the SGPC and Golden Temple’s religious leadership categorically denied the claim. SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said no permission was granted for any military equipment to be deployed inside the temple complex. He stated that the administration only coordinated with temple authorities regarding a temporary city-wide blackout.
“The Army’s statement about deploying air defence guns at Sri Harmandar Sahib is shockingly untrue,” said Additional Head Granthi Giani Amarjeet Singh. “No such incident occurred. We merely followed the district’s blackout advisory and switched off outer lights to help the administration.”
The Head Granthi, Giani Raghbir Singh—currently on a foreign visit—also confirmed that no request or communication was made to him regarding gun deployment.
Facing backlash, the Indian Army issued a formal clarification. “It is clarified that NO AD guns or any other AD resource was deployed within the premises of Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar (The Golden Temple),” the statement read, directly countering Lt Gen D’Cunha’s earlier remarks.
The Army had claimed Pakistan intended to target civilian and religious sites including the Golden Temple during the heightened tensions following India’s Operation Sindoor. Videos released by the defence forces on Monday showed how incoming threats were intercepted using the AKASH missile system and L-70 AD guns.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry strongly denied the Indian claims. “We categorically reject the allegation that Pakistan attempted to target the Golden Temple. We respect all places of worship and consider the Golden Temple sacred,” it said.
The row has triggered sharp responses on social media, with many users demanding clarity from the government and military, while others criticized the politicization of religious spaces during national security operations.
This incident follows the recent cross-border strikes by India on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam earlier this month.
The Golden Temple, also known as Sri Harmandar Sahib, holds immense religious and historical significance for Sikhs globally, and any claim involving military activity within its complex is highly sensitive.
