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Sikh devotees furious over demolition orders of gurdwara in Sangrur Sangrur
(Punjab): A number of Sikh devotees are outraged due to Akal Takht's order
to demolish a portion of a controversial gurdwara due to having objection over
its shape which resembles the Golden Temple of Amritsar. The construction of the
controversial Gurudwara located at Malerkotla has upset the Akal Takht as well
as the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body that manages
all major Sikh shrines across the country. On Sunday, Akal Takht ordered for demolition
of domes and other portions of the controversial Sikh temple and also changing
of the name of the gurdwara following a meeting conducted by over 50 Sikh religious
bodies including the Jathedar of Akal Takht in holy Amritsar city. Over a hundred
of devotees have armed themselves with sticks to guard the gurdwara's complex
since the demolition orders. Men, women, and even children, are patrolling the
complex day and night, ready to even lay down their lives to protect their revered
shrine. "This is the organisation's decision. We will not let anybody damage the
temple and thousands of people from our area are ready to protect it. We will
not tolerate it (destruction of gurdwara). For us Durbar Sahib is more important
than Akal Takht ... We all are guarding the temple...If anybody comes to destroy
it, we will retaliate. We will protect it at any cost even if we have to lay down
our lives," said Balbir Singh, a devotee. The roots of the controversy are 40
years old. The shrine, owned by Mastuana Dera, a Sikh sect headed by Sant Sadhu
Singh, has been under construction since 1967. The Mastuana sect comprises of
Sikh followers, mostly from the lower-strata of society. Recent attempts to restart
work on the incomplete shrine have provoked angry objections. -June
22, 2009 |
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