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Akal Takht, SGPC condemn sacrilege incidents in Morinda, Faridkot
Taking strict notice of the disrespect of Guru Granth Sahib at Gurdwara Kotwali Sahib, Morinda, in Rupnagar district, Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Monday demanded strict and exemplary action against the person accused of disrespect
Taking strict notice of the disrespect of Guru Granth Sahib at Gurdwara Kotwali Sahib, Morinda, in Rupnagar district, Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Monday demanded strict and exemplary action against the person accused of disrespect.
In a video, the jathedar said ‘had the culprits of the previous sacrilege acts had been given exemplary punishment’, such incidents would not have continued. “These acts are aimed at vitiating the peaceful atmosphere of Punjab. If Sikhs, having their sentiments hurt, react, they will be blamed for disturbing the peace”, he added.
In a statement, Dhami said, “Guru Granth Sahib is highly respectful of the Sikhs, but it is sad that the incidents of disrespect/sacrilege are not stopping. Due to lax action taken by the government against the accused persons in the past, the courage of such forces is increasing. If exemplary punishments are given, no one will have the courage to commit such a heinous crime.”
The SGPC president said a person caught committing sacrilege is often saved due to lax police action. “Often the accused walks free after some time. This is a big question for the governments, which they cannot avoid”, he said.
He said that the incident of disrespect at Morinda was heart-wrenching, in which the accused entered the gurdwara and went on to assault the granthis and disrespected Guru Granth Sahib.
“This person should not be spared under any circumstances, and the police administration should set an example by taking strict action. The matter should be seriously investigated so that the forces behind this incident can be brought to light. If the government and the police try to cover up, then this will not be good”, the SGPC president added.
He and the Jathedar also condemned the incident of scattering the sacred pages of Gutka Sahib in the Golewala village of Faridkot. They said the sacrilege was committed openly, and the visuals have been caught on CCTV.
“The accused should not be spared even if he belongs to any community. People who create a communal atmosphere and hurt the sentiments of Sikhs should be questioned, so that the main culprits can be caught,” Dhami said.
