New Delhi, April 4: The Twitter and Facebook accounts of President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday deleted a video of a dance performance on 'Mool Mantra', a composition from Guru Granth Sahib, after many in the Sikh community pointed out that the clip was blasphemous. The video clip was shared by President Kovind on April 1. 'Moon Mantra' appears at the start of Japji Sahib, which is a prayer at the beginning of Guru Granth Sahib.

The dance performance on 'Mool Mantra' had taken place on March 31 in Santiago, Chile where President Kovind had gone for a state visit. The 1.22-minute video clip had been uploaded on the President’s Twitter handle and Facebook as "A soulful rendition of ‘Ik Onkar Satnaam’ at the Indian community reception in Santiago, Chile". The Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) objected to the video.

“SGPC has expressed its resentment…. The President does not himself upload posts on Twitter. His office should find out who uploaded it…. That person may not have been aware that it would hurt Sikh sentiments," SGPC secretary Roop Singh told The Indian Express. Akali leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who also heads the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, wrote to President Kovind, requesting removal of the video and action against the organisers. President Ram Nath Kovind Pays Floral Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi in Chile.

After several in the Sikh community said the video of a dance performance on 'Mool Mantra' hurt their religious sentiments, the tweet and Facebook post was deleted. Ashok Malik, press secretary to the President, issued a clarification and said the Rashtrapati Bhavan did not have any say in the performance or the choice of songs. “Earlier this week, President Kovind was invited to an Indian community event in Santiago during his state visit to Chile. The organisers, members of the diverse Indian community, put up a cultural show and some videos were shared on the President’s social media accounts.

It has since been pointed out that elements of the cultural programme, in producing which the President’s Secretariat had no role, have hurt sentiments of some of our people. Responsive to the faith and traditions of all sections of Indians, the videos have been deleted," Malik tweeted.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 04, 2019 08:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).