ITANAGAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has claimed that a Gurudwara in the Northeast state of Arunachal Pradesh has been converted into a Buddhist shrine.
The SGPC has claimed, in a statement, that photos shared by Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on April 8 on social media made it clear that Gurdwara Guru Nanak Tapasthan in Mechuka has been converted into a Buddhist shrine.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami termed this alleged act of ‘converting a Gurudwara into a Buddhist shrine as “an attack on Sikhs”.
He added the the act of converting the Gurudwara into a Buddhist shrine directly violates Article 25 of the Constitution.
He said that Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru, made religious journeys to different places and there is also a reference to his visit to Mechuka.
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The SGPC president said Gurdwara Guru Nanak Tapasthan was established in memory of the Sikh guru.
Historian Colonel Dalvinder Singh Grewal made an important contribution to the development of this gurdwara and with the support of the Indian Army, it was handed over to the ‘Sangat’ in March 1987.
“It is highly unfortunate that now a mischievous attempt has been made to destroy this memorial shrine of the first Sikh Guru,” Dhami said.
He added: “It is unfortunate that the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh after visiting this historical Sikh shrine is showing it as a Buddhist shrine.”
“This act is going to hurt Sikh sentiments, which will be strongly opposed at all levels,” Dhami further said.
The SGPC president said that this is a very serious matter, in which the President, the Prime Minister, the home minister and the national commission for minorities should intervene immediately.
“This is another example of discrimination against Sikhs, on which the government should take cognisance and move towards a solution,” he said.