Sikhs to protest over Gurudwara issue today

“We have been demanding the Uttarakhand government for the last two years to return the Gurudwara Gyan Godhri Saheb, but to no avail. In the past, we had raised the issue before the President, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. We also brought the matter before the top leadership of the BJP and the RSS, but even they failed to prevail upon their state government in the state,” said Gurcharan Singh Babbar, president of All India Sikh Conference at a press conference here on Monday.

The plot on which the Gurudwara stood now houses government offices, market and shops. Sikh leaders have alleged the state government is not relenting to their demands, as the top leadership of the BJP, RSS and the Ganga Sabha of Haridwar do not want to have the Gurudwara on the bank of Ganga.

“All power is vested with the top leadership of the BJP. They change chief minister of the state overnight. Therefore, we have decided to protest right outside the central office to get the message going. Sikhs are congregating from across the country to join the protest,” said Sant Baljit Singh Khalsa Daduwal, chairman of Panthic Sewa Lehar (Dadu Sahib).

Daduwal also appealed the Central government to intervene in the matter and direct the Uttarakhand government to hand over the Gurudwara to Sikhs and sort out the sensitive issue at the earliest. He also threatened the political parties, especially the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal, to take all measure for early solution of the issue.