Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday condemned the demolition of the 125-year-old Gurdwara Sahib in Farooqabad, Pakistan, erasing its heritage. “I strongly condemn this act. Gurdwara Sahib is not just a shared heritage of Sikhs but of all humanity. Encroaching on gurdwaras in Pakistan, trespassing on their properties, and damaging such heritage in this manner is a grave sin.
The world must take notice of this and urge the Government of Pakistan to restore Gurdwara Sahib,” said Sirsa in a message posted on social media. Earlier, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra condemned the demolition of historic Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Farooqabad, Pakistan, questioning the silence of AAP leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Sardar Bhagwant Mann on the issue.
He said that this is not an isolated incident, as attacks on Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, and their places of worship have unfortunately become a recurring occurrence in Pakistan. Malhotra stated that while the Indian government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has consistently worked to provide a sense of security and confidence to Sikhs and other minority communities, the Pakistani government has left its minorities at the mercy of extremist elements.
He said that Pakistan continues to remain a haven for terrorism. The Delhi BJP President said that the silence of the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, even a week after the demolition of the Shri Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Pakistan, has shocked the people of the country and is deeply condemnable.
Malhotra said that Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Bhagwant Mann himself has been accused of violating Sikh religious traditions and that the Sri Akal Takht Sahib has declared him anti-Panthic. In such a situation, the silence of Sardar Bhagwant Mann and AAP National Convenor Kejriwal over the demolition of the Gurdwara in Pakistan is yet another indication of their disregard for Sikh values and traditions.
Delhi BJP legislator and chairman of the Trans-Yamuna Area Development Board Sardar Arvinder Singh Lovely joined Malhotra in condemning the demolition of the Gurdwara. He said that while Pakistan pretends to be the protector of minorities around the world, it has failed to ensure the safety of minorities and their religious places within its own borders.
Sardar Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the treatment meted out to minorities in Pakistan and the demolition of their religious places deserve the strongest condemnation. He also appreciated the PM Modi’s government for taking prompt cognisance of the matter, stating that it immediately conveyed a strong message to the Pakistani government and called for the reconstruction of the demolished Gurdwara.
Sardar Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the incident also amounts to a violation of Unesco norms. According to Unesco guidelines, it is the primary responsibility of every country to protect religious sites that are over 100 years old. Any tampering with the original structure of such heritage sites is considered a violation of these norms.
He added that this is not the first instance of damage to minorities’ religious places in Pakistan. Similar acts intended to hurt the religious sentiments of minority communities have taken place in the past as well, said Lovely.