Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 4: Several Sikh organizations today staged protest in Jammu against mob attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Guru Nanak Sahib and the stone pelting on the Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan. Besides, many political and social organizations and their leaders also condemned the attack on holy Gurdwara and pilgrims.
A large number of Sikh youth assembled outside Gurdwara in Gandhi Nagar and held protest against the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, under the banner of Sikh Youth Sewa Trust, with the participants chanting slogans against Pakistan and setting ablaze the effigy of Pakistan premier Imran Khan. They appealed United Nations to take stern action against the rogue state and its head.
People of Sikh community led by Gurmeet Kour, general secretary, Ladies Wing of Shiromani Akali Dal, J&K held protest at Chatha Farm in Jammu to condemn the mob attack at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. Speaking on the occasion, Gurmeet Kour demanded immediate arrest of the miscreants, besides security cover for the Sikh community in Pakistan. She also appealed the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to take action against the culprits.
At Rani Park in Jammu City, the workers of Dogra Front and Shiv Sena under the leadership of their president Ashok Gupta held a protest alongside Sikhs to protest against the hooliganism caused inside the holy Nankana Sahib shrine in Pakistan. Addressing the protestors, Ashok Gupta condemned the destruction and desecration of the holy shrine. He said with this incident, the true face of Pakistan has been exposed.
A massive protest was also held at City Chowk, Main Bazaar, Poonch against the stone pelting at Nankana Sahib.A large number of Sikhs assembled there and raised slogans against Pakistan. They lambasted the Imran Khan Govt for its double standards, saying that on one hand Pakistani Government opens Kartarpur corridor to Sikh devotees for pilgrimage of Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwra while on the other hand some miscreants pelted stones and uttered abusive words for the same shrine and Sikh community as a whole which is living in minority in the state of Pakistan.
In a joint press conference of various Sikh organizations held here under the banner of State Gurdwara Parbandhak Board, J&K, chairman of the Board, TS Wazir as well as other Sikh leaders forcefully condemned the attack on Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Shri Guru Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. They asked the Pakistan Government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of Sikhs and their religious places in Pakistan.
Sudershan Singh Wazir, chairman, Sikh United Front, J&K, while addressing a joint press conference of various Sikh organizations, called upon the Pakistan Government to ensure the safety and protection of all Sikh shrines located in Pakistan. Wazir called upon all the progressive forces in general and the Sikhs in particular to protest the unruly conduct of the miscreants at Gurudwara Nankana Sahib, outside respective Gurdwaras in their localities.
“Elements in Pakistan want to give trouble to the minorities including the Sikhs. An immediate probe would fix the responsibility following which action can be taken against the culprits,” All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said in a statement here. He said at a time when some bonhomie had been established between India and Pakistan over the opening of the Kartarpur corridor, the attack on the Gurdwara is somewhat suspicious.
Terming the incident as ‘mischievous and highly shameful’ on the part of Pakistan, chief spokesperson of Pradesh Congress Committee Ravinder Sharma held the Pakistan Government responsible for its failure to contain and control such elements which trigger tension between the two countries. “Such incidents are intolerable and Government of India must convey the concerns and sentiments of the people in the strongest manner to Pakistan to check such unruly acts,” he said.
BJP general secretary, Dr Narinder Singh has strongly condemned the mob attack on holy Gurdwara of Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and termed it religious intolerance on part of fundamentalist forces. In a statement issued here, Dr Singh said with this attack Pakistan has been exposed before entire world community for its religious intolerance. He urged the Pakistani Government to ensure the safety and security of religious places of minorities in that country as the attack has hurt the sentiments not only of Sikh community all over the world but members of other religions as well.
Senior BJP leader and former legislator Ramesh Arora said the attack has exposed the state policy of Pakistan, which prefer violence and wanted to encourage Islamic fundamentalism in all fields of life. “It is a really shameful and condemnable act. Pakistan is basically a terrorist state and is required to be declared so formally,” he said in a statement.
National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana, while condemning the incident, described it most reprehensible. “Pakistan Government should take cognizance of such incidents and occurrences and ensure the safety, security and dignity of minorities across the country in terms of Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru-Liaqat Ali Khan agreement”, Rana said and added that NC has all along stood for Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Buddhist unity and will always nurture the high values of secularism.
Former minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla strongly condemned the attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. He said that strong action must be taken against miscreants who indulged in the desecration of the holy Gurudwara and attacked members of minority Sikh community. “Government of Pakistan is enjoined to take all measures to protect and preserve the sanctity of the holy Nankana Sahib Gurudwara,” Bhalla said and held the Pakistani Government directly responsible for the incident.
Condemning stone pelting at Gurdwara in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan by a rowdy mob and threatening of Sikhs living there, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State Executive Member, Raman Suri, in a statement said that the horrible side of Pakistan, where minorities are tortured badly, stands exposed. This was the reason Indian Government brought the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), over which Congress is playing politics.
In a meeting, Welfare Society Guru Nanak Nagar Jammu strongly condemned the cowardly act of the fundamentalist miscreants in Pakistan who without taking into consideration the fact that Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj are equally revered by Muslims, pelted stones and shouted hateful slogans at one of the holiest places of Sikh community Nankana Sahib. The Society demanded the Pakistan Government to ensure the security and safety of the minorities and their religious places in Pakistan.
Condemning strongly the vandalism at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib by miscreants, Jammu Province People’s Forum (JPPF) termed it a cowardice act which should be curbed with full force. Speaking during a meeting of the Forum, its president, Pavitter Singh Bhardwaj called upon the Central Government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikh community in Pakistan. He also pleaded for strong action against the accused miscreants.
Harmohinder Singh, president, Displaced Kashmiri Sikh Conference has also strongly condemned the mob attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan and demanded full security of the holy Sikh shrines in that country.
Kashmiri Pandit Sabha Jammu president K K Khosa has also condemned the attack on Holy Gurdwara in Nankana Sahib the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Mahraj. In a statement issued here, Khosa said the attack has hurt the religious sentiments of Sikhs and Hindus and other communities who believe in equality and freedom of religions.
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