SGPC objects lighting up of Mohali’s ‘minar-e-fateh’ in tricolour lights

PTI

Amritsar, August 14

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Sunday objected to lighting up the ‘minar-e-fateh’ in tricolour lights, calling it an “act of playing with Sikh sentiments”.

The ‘minar-e-fateh’ is a memorial built at Chappar Chiri in Punjab’s Mohali in the memory of victory over Sirhind by Sikh general Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said Sikh general Baba Banda Singh Bahadur had hoisted the Khalsa’s ‘Nishan Sahib’ by conquering Sirhind while punishing the then tyrant Mughal ruler for the atrocities.

“Sikh sentiments have been hurt by lighting up this memorial of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur with tricolour lights,” he said in a statement.

He said the beliefs of the country are respected, but the beliefs of faith are different from it and these cannot be mixed.

“The Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab has shown its anti-Sikh mentality with its actions against the philosophy of the respected Guru’s and Sikh sentiments. An atmosphere contrary to the Sikh sentiments is being deliberately created in the country due to which there is great resentment among the Sikhs,” Dhami alleged.

He said earlier a letter was issued by the zila parishad administration in Ambala in Haryana to organise cultural events at historical gurdwara sahibs there, but this was withdrawn after the protest by the ‘Sangat’ (community).

He said similarly the Sikh sentiments were hurt on Saturday by hoisting the national flag at historical gurdwara Imli Sahib in Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

The SGPC chief said despite the fact that everyone is aware of the Sikh traditions, the sentiments of Sikhs are being “deliberately incited” by such actions contrary to the ‘maryada’ (code of conduct).

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