Possession of Lohgarh Sahib in Y’nagar back with Nihangs

Shiv Kumar Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, September 12

Nihangs of Buddha Dal was handed back the possession of Gurdwara Lohgarh Sahib in the district’s Bhagwanpur village today, ending the dispute over a “derogatory” post on Net about Baba Banda Bahadur.

Sikhs had, on September 8, complained to the police against four Nihangs — Balbir Singh, Dharam Singh both from Chhawani Buddha Dal of Patiala, Jaimal Singh and Ajmer Singh of the district’s Miyanpur village — had posted a “derogatory” post on Baba Banda Bahadur.

After the complaint was registered, members of the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Heritage Development Foundation took possession of the gurdwara on September 8. Police force was deployed on the gurdwara premises and in the village.

Several Nihangs led by Balbir Singh from Punjab visited Yamunanagar today to solve the matter. A meeting was convened at Deputy Commissioner SS Phulia’s house.

Besides the DC, Superintendent of Police Manish Chaudhry, District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) Gagandeep Singh, Joriyo Gurdwara head Sant Karamjit Singh, Banda Bahadur foundation chairman Gurvinder Singh Dhamija and nihang Balbir Singh of Buddha Dal attended the meeting.

The meeting decided Nihangs would look after the gurdwara again.

“To revive Baba Banda Bahadur Fort is in progress. Lohgarh Sahib is associated with him. Banda Bahadur established the first Sikh state capital (1710-1715) in Lohgarh,” Phulia said.

He said, “There is 1 acre in the name of Lohgarh Sahib. The land is near the present gurdwara built on government land. The Nihangs said in the meeting they would build a gurdwara on 1 acre, if the revival of the fort required land where there the present gurdwara is situated.”

After the meeting, Nihang Balbir Singh, Dhamija and DDPO Gagandeep, among others, participated in a function at Guru Nanak Girl College, Yamunanagar.