New Delhi, July 2 (IANS). Delhi’s Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday strongly condemned the demolition of the 125-year-old Gurdwara Sahib in Farooqabad, Pakistan.
Sirsa said in a message on social media, “I strongly condemn this act. Gurdwara Sahib is a common heritage not only of the Sikhs but of all humanity. Encroaching on Gurdwaras in Pakistan, encroaching on their properties and thus damaging the heritage is a grave sin. The world should take note of this and urge the Government of Pakistan to restore the Gurdwara Sahib.”
Earlier, Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra condemned the demolition of the historic Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Farookabad, Pakistan and questioned the silence of common man leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Bhagwant Mann on the issue.
He said this is not an isolated incident, as attacks on Sikhs, Hindus, Christians and their places of worship have unfortunately become a regular occurrence in Pakistan.
Malhotra said that while the Indian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is continuously making efforts to provide security and confidence to the Sikhs and other minority communities, the Pakistani government has left its minorities at the mercy of extremist elements.
He said that Pakistan has become a stronghold of terrorism.
The Delhi BJP President said that the silence of the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab even a week after the demolition of Shri Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Pakistan has shocked the countrymen, and is highly condemnable.
Malhotra said that Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Bhagwant Mann himself has been accused of violating Sikh religious traditions and Sri Akal Takht Sahib has declared him an anti-sect.
In such a situation, the silence of Sardar Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Kejriwal on the demolition of Gurdwara in Pakistan is another example of their disregard for Sikh values and traditions.
Delhi BJP MLA and Trans-Yamuna Area Development Board chairman Sardar Arvinder Singh Lovely supported Malhotra in condemning the demolition of the gurudwara.
He said Pakistan may pretend to be a protector of minorities across the world, but it has failed to ensure the safety of minorities and their religious places within its borders.
Sardar Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the treatment of minorities in Pakistan and the destruction of their religious places deserves strong condemnation.
He praised the Prime Minister Modi government for taking immediate cognizance of the matter and said that the government immediately gave a strong message to the Pakistani government and called for the reconstruction of the demolished Gurudwara.
–IANS
ms/