Unite against caste bias: Gargaj to people

Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj on Monday called people to stand up against caste bias as he condemned the alleged discrimination against Haryana-cadre IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, who recently committed suicide.

He said the tragic incident was a glaring reflection of the centuries-old caste bias prevailing in India and the practice deserved the strongest condemnation. “Despite the constitutional guarantee of equal rights to all communities, many people continue to face discrimination,” he said.

He called for collective unity to counter caste-based discrimination and hate propaganda. Gargaj said the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat for the Sikhs, stood firmly against casteism and any form of discrimination. He said according to the Sikh Gurus’ philosophy, all human beings were equal and it was deeply concerning that caste-based prejudices still surfaced.

Jathedar Gargaj said the Golden Temple and its sacred Amrit Sarovar were living examples where anyone could pay obeisance, take holy bath and partake of langar.