Gurdwara panel files complaint over protest at Bangla Sahib; CJP accuses police of forceful entry

New Delhi: The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) on Sunday filed a complaint with Delhi Police, seeking to identify people protesting inside the Bangla Sahib gurdwara premises and take action as per law, while Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenor Saurav Das alleged that police had forcefully entered the shrine with shoes on and weapons in hand to detain protesters during the October 10 stir

New Delhi: The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) on Sunday filed a complaint with Delhi Police, seeking to identify people protesting inside the Bangla Sahib gurdwara premises and take action as per law, while Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convenor Saurav Das alleged that police had forcefully entered the shrine with shoes on and weapons in hand to detain protesters during the October 10 stir.

Heavy deployment at Connaught Place on Sunday. (Ishant Chauhan/Hindustan Photo)

Das had added that the police officers also forced the gurdwara management to remove protesters. “Whoever behaves like this with our Sikh brothers or with a place of worship... The end is very near for this government. I request Sikh brothers to help us and fight against them,” Das said.

Hundreds of protesters shut out of Jantar Mantar on Saturday took shelter in Bangla Sahib, near the Election Commission of India (ECI) office.

The complaint, filed by DSGMC president Harmeet Singh Kalka, mentioned that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders circulated videos on social media presenting a distorted version of the incident by blaming the management committee. “Misleading videos may have been part of a coordinated attempt to create controversy in a place of worship and to provoke religious sentiments... No political party can be permitted to turn the sacred premises into a venue for political protest and propaganda... DSGMC requests police to identify all persons visible in the enclosed video who entered the gurdwara premises and participated in the protest and take legal action against those found involved,” the letter, seen by HT read.

Bangla Sahib Gurdwara chairman Bhupinder Singh Bhullar on Sunday said, “Today, we, along with DSGMC president and other members of DSGMC, met the DCP and submitted a complaint. We humbly request all protesters to visit the gurdwara, pay their respects, have langar and rest. We will also arrange accommodation if needed. Medical facilities and other assistance were provided during their previous protest and will be provided again. However, we will not allow protests inside the gurdwara under any circumstances, regardless of the political party involved.”

Several opposition leaders on Saturday had shared videos alleging that Delhi Police had entered the premises with shoes on.

The Delhi Police, in a statement, said: “Regarding the video circulated on social media alleging entry by police staff in Gurdwara Bangla Sahib... in the circulated video some police staff is shown walking in the common passage used by all devotees to reach the point where shoes are taken off. The process is the same for all devotees coming to the gurdwara. The video has been circulated deliberately with malicious intent, to outrage the feelings of a respectable religious community. Legal action is being initiated.”