Senior National Spokesperson of the Indian National Congress and Sri Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari today urged the Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to sell the replica of the Harmandir Sahib, gifted to him as PM. He also called upon the Punjab government to effectively defend the state’s case for SYL in the Supreme Court by engaging the best legal experts for the purpose.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Tewari said “Sri Harminder Sahib is the holiest shrine of the Sikh faith. It epitomises the struggle and sacrifices of Punjabi’s across the world”.
Urging the PM to stop the auction of a model/replica of Sri Harmandir Sahib immediately, he said, it must have been a gift to the Prime Minister given with lots of respect and reverence.
Tewari suggested to the PM that if he can’t keep it or does not want to keep it, he (the PM) should give it to him so that he will keep it with the honour and dignity it deserves in Sri Anandpur Sahib. Noting that everything is not saleable or purchasable like a commodity, the MP said, even a replica of Sri Harminder Sahib is sacred and sacrosanct for all Punjabi’s; Sikhs and Hindus alike. “It does not behove the highest executive office in the country to put it on auction”, he remarked.
Referring to the proposed debate being organised by the state government on various Punjab issues, including the SYL, on November 1, Tewari said, while holding debates and discussions is a good thing in a democracy, the government should spend its energies and resources to defend the case in the Supreme Court of India. He pointed out the case is pending in the apex court, where Punjab government needs to defend it strongly, which does not seem to be happening right now.
It is the Supreme Court which needs to appreciate Punjab’s point of view and not the people of Punjab who are one that there is not a drop of water that can be given to Haryana or any other state for that matter for the simple reason Punjab just does not have the water to give . Being an upper riparian state its needs have to be catered to first before the imperatives of lower riparian states kick in . Such debates on SYL are as if you are preaching to the already converted he added .