Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh has taken the state government to task for failing to check the growing incidents of burning and destruction of ‘birs’ of the Guru Granth Sahib in gurdwaras, particularly those situated in the rural areas.
“The administration seems to be non-serious on the issue or else the number of such incidents would not have increased,” the jathedar said in a statement released here on Monday.
The jathedar made this observation following the burning and destruction of a ‘bir’ of the scripture in a gurdwara in Basghari village of Faridkot district last week. The matter is still being investigated by the police to ascertain whether some miscreants were behind this incident or whether the fire that caused the incident was accidental due to short circuiting of electric wires on the gurdwara premises.
Expressing anguish at this incident, the jathedar asked the administration to show some seriousness and find out the reasons that caused the fire. “If the fire was the handiwork of miscreants, the administration should at once arrest those responsible,” he demanded.
“Over the last few months such incidents have been on the rise. This is because the administration has not taken these incidents seriously,” he said while warning that if the administration failed to check such incidents, the ‘panth’ (Sikh community) will be “forced to take matters into its own hands”.
{{/usCountry}}“Over the last few months such incidents have been on the rise. This is because the administration has not taken these incidents seriously,” he said while warning that if the administration failed to check such incidents, the ‘panth’ (Sikh community) will be “forced to take matters into its own hands”.
{{/usCountry}}He said the Guru Granth Sahib was not just a scripture but was a ‘living guru’, an apostle of peace, harmony and universal brotherhood. “Such incidents tend to hurt religious sentiments hence these ought to be taken seriously by the government and not just brushed aside,” he added.