Rebuild the demolished portion of the Gurdwara : India demands

India condemns the demolition of the 125-year-old historic Gurdwara in Pakistan

Farrukhabad (Pakistan) – The Indian Government has condemned Pakistan over the demolition of the 125-year-old Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib here using bulldozers. India has asserted that those responsible for the crime should be arrested immediately and given stringent punishment, the demolished portion of the Gurdwara should be rebuilt at the earliest, and that it is the responsibility of the Government of Pakistan to protect the country’s minority communities.

This is systematic injustice against religious minorities ! – India

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The demolition of the 125-year-old sacred Gurdwara is deeply distressing. This attack on a place of worship sacred to the Sikh community is highly condemnable. Such incidents are not new in Pakistan. It is a matter of grave concern that minorities and their places of worship are being systematically targeted there.”

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz takes cognisance

After learning that the Gurdwara, located about 70 kilometres from Lahore, was being demolished using bulldozers, members of the Sikh community launched large-scale protests. As the situation began to escalate, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took cognisance of the matter. Punjab Province’s Minority Affairs Minister Ramesh Singh Arora immediately visited the Gurdwara at Farrukhabad to assess the situation. After discussions with members of the local Sikh community, he assured them that the Gurdwara would be rebuilt immediately.

Local Muslim traders oppose the reconstruction

Local Muslim traders have opposed the reconstruction of the Gurdwara. According to them, the Gurdwara had remained abandoned for the past 80 years. During this period, many families settled there and numerous shops were established. They argue that rebuilding the Gurdwara would render many families homeless. Therefore, they have demanded that the Government first make proper rehabilitation arrangements for those people.