Controversy has arisen over the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who came to visit the flood affected areas of Punjab by wearing Siropa (saffron -colored cloth worn around his neck to show respect in Sikhism. At the same time, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has ordered an inquiry. SGPC has said that strict action will be taken if someone is found guilty. Let’s know about Rahul Gandhi and his current Siropa controversy.
When did the incident happen? What is Siropa dispute
On 15 September 2025, Rahul Gandhi visited the flood affected areas of Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts of Punjab. During this, he met the flood victims in Ghnewal village of Ajnala tehsil of Amritsar. After this, he reached Gurdwara Shri Samadhi Baba Budha Sahib in Ramdas area, where he performed Ardas. During this time, Gurudwara management honored him by wearing Siropa. Which is a symbol of high respect in the Sikh tradition. Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Wading shared the video of this moment on social media, the controversy started as soon as the video surfaced.
SGPC’s stance and inquiry order
After which Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami issued a press note on September 15, saying that according to the earlier decision of SGPC, it is prohibited to provide Siropa at Darbar Sahib of Gurdwaras. This honor is limited to only religious personalities, ragi jathas (kirtan singers) and Sikh great men present in Guru Durbar. It is against the rules to give such respect to political persons.
Investigations were ordered
SGPC has started an investigation against the management of Gurdwara Baba Budha Sahib. Dhami said, “The entire report will be found by tomorrow. If an SGPC employee or management is found guilty, strict action will be taken against him.” This investigation focuses on compliance with SGPC rules and may include video and statements of witnesses.
