India condemns vandalism at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan

An agitated mob from a nearby area pelted the gurdwara with stones after a dispute broke out over the alleged abduction and conversion of a Sikh girl.

Updated - June 19, 2020 06:26 pm IST - New Delhi

Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

India on January 3 strongly condemned acts of vandalism at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan.

Also read: Gurdwara Nankana Sahib ‘untouched and undamaged,’ says Pak govt

The Ministry of External Affairs called upon the Government of Pakistan to ensure protection of the gurdwara, which was targeted by a mob during January 3 afternoon that reportedly threw stones and whipped up communal frenzy in the area near the place of worship.   "We call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welcome of the members of the Sikh community. Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in disecration of the holy Gurudwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community," said the press statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. 

An agitated mob from a nearby area pelted the gurdwara with stones after a dispute broke out over the alleged abduction and conversion of a Sikh girl., who was kidnapped from her home in Nankana Sahib, which hosts a part of the Sikh community of Pakistan. 

The issue drew attention of Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh who appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to ensure safety of the gurdwara.  "I appeal to Prime Minister Imran Khan to immediately intervene to ensure that the devotees stranded in Gurudwara Nankana Sahib are rescued and the historic Gurudwara is saved from the angry mob surrounding it," said Chief Minister Singh in a social media message. 

Earlier a series of videos shot by local Sikhs showed large number of people agitating over the fate of the lady and threatening the gurdwara.  A person who claimed to be related to her claimed in the video that he was beaten up and was asked to divorce her and he had refused saying that he would prefer the court to decide the matter.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.