After the reported demolition of a 125-year-old gurdwara in Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs condemened the incident as a "highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism".
Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, some 70 kms from Lahore, is a highly revered shrine linked to the Singh Sabha Movement.
India asked Pakistan to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice while also restoring the damaged portions of the Sikh shrine.
“We have seen the deeply distressing reports regarding the demolition of the historic 125-year-old sacred Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, Pakistan. We strongly condemn this highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism against a revered Sikh shrine," said MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
He pointed out that the vandalism is not an isolated incident as the systemic targeting of religious minorities and their places of worship continues unabated in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the local Sikh community in the area have staged protests as the government failed to take any action. According to a Pakistani official, the historic gurdwara was demolished by a local businessman.
"The businessman had demolished the gurdwara without obtaining the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the department concerned. The department has not taken notice of it till the Sikhs of the area protested," PTI quoted the official as saying.
Punjab Minorities Minister Ramesh Singh Arora, who visited the site on Wednesday, has announced immediate restoration of the gurdwara.
However, local traders operating around the site said the premises had remained abandoned for nearly 80 years and several families had settled there over the years and set up shops. The traders, who fear the restoration could displace dozens of families in the area, urged the government to provide alternative housing if eviction is unavoidable.
