Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Islamabad to investigate the incident and restore the damaged portions of the religious structure. New Delhi also called on Islamabad to ensure the safety and well-being of religious minorities.
ISLAMABAD: In a deeply unsettling development from Pakistan’s Punjab province, a 125-year-old historic Sikh shrine was demolished by a local businessman, triggering widespread outrage and protests from the minority Sikh community. India has sharply condemned the destruction of the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, categorizing the incident as a “highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism” directed at a revered religious institution. According to official Pakistani sources, the historic structure was torn down on the night of June 24 without securing the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the government departments concerned.
In an official press statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Islamabad to thoroughly investigate the targeted demolition and restore the damaged sections of the shrine without delay. New Delhi also demanded that the government of Pakistan discharge its fundamental obligations to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of its religious minority communities. Jaiswal expressed grave concern over the apparent lack of meaningful action by local administrative authorities and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), adding that such systematic targeting of minority worship places in Pakistan continues unabated.
The site of the incident in Farooqabad is located roughly 70 kilometers away from Lahore. Following intense demonstrations by the local Sikh populace, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took formal notice of the violation. Subsequently, Punjab Minorities Minister Ramesh Singh Arora visited the site alongside district officials and announced the immediate commencement of restoration work. However, local traders operating around the vicinity have raised reservations regarding the reconstruction plan. They asserted that the building had remained completely abandoned for nearly 80 years, during which multiple families settled there and setups were built, prompting calls for alternative rehabilitation if eviction becomes unavoidable.
ലഘു വിവരണം
പാകിസ്താനിലെ പഞ്ചാബ് പ്രവിശ്യയിൽ 125 വർഷം പഴക്കമുള്ള ‘ഗുരുദ്വാര ശ്രീ ഗുരു സിങ് സഭ സാഹിബ്’ എന്ന ചരിത്രപ്രസിദ്ധമായ സിഖ് ആരാധനാലയം നിയമവിരുദ്ധമായി തകർത്തതിനെ ഇന്ത്യ ശക്തമായി അപലപിച്ചു. ജൂൺ 24-ന് ഒരു പ്രാദേശിക വ്യവസായിയാണ് സർക്കാർ അനുമതിയില്ലാതെ ഈ കെട്ടിടം പൊളിച്ചുനീക്കിയത്. സിഖ് സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ കടുത്ത പ്രതിഷേധത്തെ തുടർന്ന് പാക് പഞ്ചാബ് ന്യൂനപക്ഷ കാര്യ മന്ത്രി രമേഷ് സിങ് അറോറ സ്ഥലം സന്ദർശിക്കുകയും ഗുരുദ്വാര അടിയന്തരമായി പുനർനിർമിക്കുമെന്ന് പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. എന്നാൽ തങ്ങൾ കുടിയൊഴിപ്പിക്കപ്പെടുമെന്ന ആശങ്കയിൽ പ്രാദേശിക വ്യാപാരികൾ ഇതിനെതിരെ രംഗത്തുണ്ട്.
(With inputs from NDTV)
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