Sikhs protest against Indian government

LAHORE: Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) and hundreds of other Sikh community members staged a peaceful protest demonstration against India here on Friday for stopping Indian Sikh yatrees from visiting Pakistan.

The demonstration was staged outside the Lahore Press Club on Friday in which a large number of Sikh community as well as PSGPC members participated. The participants condemned Indian policies towards its Sikh community and denied them permission to visit Pakistan for attending death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, observed in Lahore last month.

Pardhan PSGPC Sardar Tara Singh and other Sikh community leaders condemned Indian policies towards its minorities particularly against Sikhs and Muslims. The protesters while carrying placards and banners raised slogan against Modi-led Indian government.

Sardar Tara Singh said that refusing entry to Indian Sikh yatrees from visiting Pakistan by the Indian authorities was also in violation of United Nations’ (UN) Charter as well as against all bilateral agreements between Indian and Pakistan. We would raise this issue at all world forums, including Commonwealth countries, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), etc, and would also request world bodies to take notice of India’s shamed acts towards its minorities, he said.

The PSGPC Pardhan said the entire Sikh community in the world would stage protest demonstrations against Indian acts of not granting them permission from visiting Pakistan where their sacred places are located. He requested Pakistan’s foreign office to take up this issue with world community to expose Modi-led Indian government policies against Sikhs and Muslims.

Secretary General PSGPC Sardar Gopal Singh Chawla said the Indian government wanted to divide Sikh community through such policies which, he said, the entire Sikh community would not allow to happen. He vowed to continue their protest against India at Wagah Border and in Islamabad in coming days.

Sardar Gopal Singh stated that Pakistan was taking exemplary steps to facilitate Sikh community particularly those coming from the neighbouring country whereas India was creating hurdles for them from visiting their sacred places located in Pakistan.