Malerkotla village passes resolution for social boycott of Christian families

The move came after a dispute regarding bursting of crackers on December 25, which residents of Jalwana village panchayat in Malerkotla were against in view of ‘Shaheedi Sabha’, an annual religious congregation organised at Fatehgarh Sahib gurdwara to mark the martyrdom of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, the two younger sons of 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.

The Jalwana village panchayat in Malerkotla has passed a resolution to socially boycott families that had converted to Christianity. There are seven such families in the village.

The Jalwana village panchayat in Malerkotla has passed a resolution to socially boycott families that had converted to Christianity. There are seven such families in the village. (HT Photo)

The move came after a dispute regarding bursting of crackers on December 25, which the villagers were against in view of ‘Shaheedi Sabha’, an annual religious congregation organised at Fatehgarh Sahib gurdwara to mark the martyrdom of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, the two younger sons of 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. As per reported, the villagers are also miffed that they converted families have and refused to remove ‘Singh’ and ‘Kaur’ from their names.

In a resoultion passed on Tuesday, the villagers decided to prohibit other locals from meeting the converted Christians in the village and sharing utensils of gurdwara for any function. The panchayat has also warned villagers of strict action if land is given to the community for construction church in the village.

Village sarpanch Gurpreet Singh said they had made an announcement in the village to avoid bursting crackers in view of the ‘Shaheedi Sabha’. “Despite the announcement, the they burst crackers. Consequently, the villagers gathered at the ‘panchayat ghar’, and asked them to apologise in front of Guru Granth Sahib in gurudwara but they refused. Besides, we had been also asking them to remove ‘Singh’ and ‘Kaur’ from their names but they have not done so.”

“Therefore, we have passed a resolution that no one will have social contact with them,” added sarpanch.

Malerkotla deputy commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, said, “I am not aware of the issue, but I will get it checked.”