Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday strongly condemned the forcible entry into a Kabul gurdwara by heavily armed officials claiming to be from a “special unit” of the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Badal called on the Central government to raise the issue of alleged attacks against Sikhs and other religious minority communities at an international forum.
On Friday, Puneet Singh Chandhok, head of Delhi-based think tank Indian World Forum, said that heavily armed Taliban officials forcibly entered Gurdwara Dashmesh Pita at Karte Parwan, Kabul, in presence of around 20 members of the Sikh community.
Chandhok claimed that the officials intimidated the community members at the gurdwara and abused the sanctity of the holy place, according to news agency ANI. He further alleged that the Taliban not only raided the gurdwara but also the community school premises attached next to it.
“The private security guards of the gurdwara initially prevented them from entering but they were also threatened with dire consequences and also manhandled,” ANI quoted Chandhok as saying.
“They've also simultaneously raided the erstwhile residence and office of MP Narinder Singh Khalsa located adjacent to the gurdwara,” he added, urging the Indian government to immediately raise the issue with their counterparts at the highest level.
This is not the first time that Taliban officials or fighters have forcibly entered a gurdwara in Afghanistan. Earlier, they had removed Nishan Sahib, the Sikh holy flag, from the roof of a gurdwara in Afghanistan's eastern Paktia province. The concerns over the safety and security of religious minorities in Afghanistan have increased after the Taliban’s takeover.
{{/usCountry}}This is not the first time that Taliban officials or fighters have forcibly entered a gurdwara in Afghanistan. Earlier, they had removed Nishan Sahib, the Sikh holy flag, from the roof of a gurdwara in Afghanistan's eastern Paktia province. The concerns over the safety and security of religious minorities in Afghanistan have increased after the Taliban’s takeover.
{{/usCountry}}Amid the Taliban’s quest for recognition from the international community, the Sunni Pashtun group has repeatedly promised that they’ll respect human rights and won’t harm minorities.
Badal said that the Taliban government should not be recognised since the minorities are not safe in Afghanistan under their rule.
“The matter of the recognition of Taliban is going on. It's a State where the minority is not safe, they should not be recognised. International pressure should be created on them,” he said.