The Indian Panorama

Tag: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee

  • Third blast near Golden Temple in a week, 5 arrested

    Third blast near Golden Temple in a week, 5 arrested

    Amritsar (TIP)- The Punjab Police on Thursday, May 11, said they have solved the cases of low-intensity explosions in Amritsar with the arrest of five people hours after another blast near a community kitchen of the Golden Temple, Sikhism’s holiest shrine. In a tweet, Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav said a press conference will be held in Amritsar in this regard. He added the Punjab Police are committed to maintaining peace and harmony in Punjab as per chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s directions.
    May 11’s blast was the third such explosion in five days. The scene of the third blast is around 1.5 km from the earlier two explosions.
    Police commissioner Naunihal Singh rushed to the spot for an investigation and to seal the scene as the third explosive went off.
    The Punjab Police earlier claimed to have tightened the security around the Golden Temple as they held flag marches with the support of paramilitary forces. Singh said they detained suspects and were questioning them. “The investigation is on and the media will be briefed later.”
    The first two blasts rocked the busy Heritage Street leading to the Golden Temple. The first blast took place around 11:30pm on Saturday while the second blast on Monday morning.
    Yadav earlier said that the terror angle cannot be ruled out.
    Harjinder Singh Dhami, the head of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) that manages Sikh places of worship, said the security personnel of the gurdwara caught three suspects, including a couple who were staying in Guru Ramdas Serai (inn), based on CCTV footage. He added the three were responsible for the fresh explosion. “The three were handed over to the police later.”
    People aware of the matter said the couple from Gurdaspur was staying in the inn of the Golden Temple from where they allegedly threw a bomb on Thursday. Police said they have recovered some handwritten pages from the possession of the accused.
    Dhami accused the government of negligence in handling the matter and taking it lightly. “…had the government taken the previous two explosions seriously, the third explosion would not have taken place.”
    He said a scanner will be installed for the devotees entering the Golden Temple and appealed to devotees to carry only necessary things while visiting the shrine.
    Dhami appreciated SGPC employees for catching the suspects with the help of technology within hours of the third blast. He asked pilgrims to visit the shrine without fear as the situation is entirely peaceful.

     

  • SGPC says suppression of religious freedom will not be tolerated

    SGPC says suppression of religious freedom will not be tolerated

    AMRITSAR / NEW YORK (TIP): Head of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee writes to Karnataka CM opposing objection to Sikh girl wearing turban to Bengaluru college. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the body responsible for the management of gurdwaras, on Thursday , February 24, objected to the action of a college in Bengaluru, which has reportedly asked an ‘ amritdhari’ (initiated) Sikh girl to remove her turban to attend the college.

    SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has written a letter in this regard to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, asking him to ensure the preservation of the religious freedom of Sikhs in the State and also reminding him of the contribution of Sikhs to India.

    “It cannot be tolerated to force Sikhs to remove their turban in their own country. It is an unconstitutional decision that will never be accepted. Turban is very important in Sikh faith, and it is an integral part of Sikh dress. Forcing anybody to remove the dastar (turban) is in violation of Sikh traditions and principles,” Mr. Dhami wrote.

    “The questions are being raised on the turban of Sikhs in India, where turban-wearing Sikhs have served as the President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice and Army Chief. Sikhs all over the world wear a turban and are working on various top positions, whereas, in their own country India, turbans are being challenged,” the letter adds. Mr. Dhami said that the suppression of Sikhs’ religious freedom can never be in the interest of the country. The SGPC president has also demanded the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the matter, and the issuance of instructions to every State to uphold the religious freedom of the people. Mr. Dhami said that the Sikh community would never tolerate any act of suppression of their religious freedom and they would strongly oppose it.

    (Source: PTI)