CHANDIGARH, Jun 20: The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) on Friday appealed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the broader Panthic leadership to safeguard the sacred copies of Guru Granth Sahib kept at a gurdwara in war-hit Tehran.
There are at least two gurdwaras in Iran — the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurdwara on the outskirts of capital city Tehran, and another in Zahidan.
Notably, in 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid obeisance at the Bhai Ganga Singh Sabha Gurdwara. Earlier in 2021, the Central government made special arrangements to bring back the holy ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the country.
‘Saroop’ is a physical copy of the Guru Granth Sahib revered by the Sikh community worldwide.
At that time, the ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib were flown back from Afghanistan, and Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri was seen carrying one of the ‘saroops’ on his head when they were received at the airport in Delhi.
There are other instances too when ‘saroops’ have been flown back from foreign nations under different circumstances.
Satnam Singh Chahal, the executive director of NAPA, urged the SGPC to immediately arrange a chartered aircraft and deploy a group of five dedicated Sikhs to accompany the ‘saroops’ back home with full respect.
SGPC general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal on Friday said the gurdwara management body has already urged the Centre to immediately take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of gurdwaras and the sacred ‘saroops’ in Iran and Israel in light of the escalating conflict between the two countries.
Under Operation Rising Lion, Israel has carried out multiple strikes on the territory of Iran. Tehran has retaliated after warning Israel and the military flare-up has continued amid fears of a wider conflict.
In 2021, as the situation in Afghanistan deteriorated, India undertook a humanitarian mission to evacuate 669 individuals.
Among them were 448 Indians and 206 Afghans, including members of the Afghan Hindu and Sikh communities. Fifteen foreign nationals were also rescued using six Indian Air Force and Air India flights.
Additionally, the government ensured the return of five holy ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib, which were brought back with great reverence on a separate flight.
On Thursday, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami emphasised that Guru Granth Sahib holds the highest reverence for the Sikh community, and ensuring its respect and protection is of utmost importance.
“Due to the current volatile conditions in Iran and Israel, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the safety of gurdwaras and the sacred ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib in the two countries,” Dhami said in a statement.
The government of India must use its diplomatic relations and international platforms to engage with the governments of Iran and Israel to ensure that no harm comes to the gurdwaras or the ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib, and that their sanctity is fully preserved, Dhami said.
Chahal acknowledged the SGPC president’s appeal, but asserted that the body has the resources and moral responsibility to act independently in the matter.
“This is not the time to rely solely on appeals to the Union government. Time is of the essence, and any delay could lead to irreparable consequences.
“We cannot afford to wait for bureaucratic processes. The safety and sanctity of Guru Granth Sahib’s saroops must be our top priority,” Chahal said.
Highlighting the urgency of the matter, especially amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Chahal warned that relying on the Central government’s decision-making could result in delays.
“The SGPC has the resources and moral responsibility to act independently in this religious matter,” he said. Earlier, Dhami had appealed to the Sikhs residing in Iran and Israel to remain in contact with the local authorities and the relevant officials to help ensure the protection of the gurdwaras and the sacred ‘saroops’.
Last year, the authorities in Qatar handed over two ‘saroops’ seized from an Indian national in a case related to running a religious establishment without approval to the Indian Embassy in Doha. (PTI)
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