Chandigarh, Punjab: An enraged group of devout Sikhs clashed with police in Chandigarh following the demolition of a gurudwara during an anti-encroachment drive on Friday.
The clash took place after civic authorities accompanied by a posse of policemen sought to remove encroachments from the area.
However, a crowd soon gathered at the shrine to oppose the anti-encroachment drive. They pelted stones at the police and other officials.
Consequently, the police had to fire a few rounds in the air to disperse the sangat outside the shrine.
“They started pelting stones on us. We had to stop them to control the situation. However, everything is under control now,” said Jaspal Rana, Inspector, Chandigarh.
Later, tension continued to prevail in the area as the aggrieved protestors refused to let the anti-encroachment drive be carried out.
“I was inside. They fired first. I went upstairs to see what happened. I told them that I was ready to talk. I was ready to produce documents too. How come they did not find any other unauthorised construction in entire Chandigarh except this Gurudwara?” said Sant Sarup Singh, a local leader.
Chandigarh, Punjab: Even as heads of Sikh bodies from Punjab and Chandigarh gathered here today to condemn the UT’s action at Gurdwara Santsar Sahib of Sector 38-West, politics took the centre stage as leaders of political parties reached the spot to express solidarity with the gurdwara management while criticising the incident.
Serving an ultimatum on the Chandigarh Administration, the religious leaders demanded release of six arrested followers and suspension of all officials, who fired shots and entered the gurdwara premises with their shoes yesterday.
Head of the gurdwara Baba Pritpal Singh, member of SGPC Karnail Singh Panjoli, Jathedar Takht Keshgarh Sahib Tarlochan Singh, member Damdami Taksal Sukhdev Singh, president Akali Dal Chandigarh Gurpartap Riar, president All-India Sikh Students Federation Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad were among those who supported the gurdwara management.
As the politicians took to the stage, the scene turned unsavory when SAD leader and former Mayor Harjinder Kaur objected to the speech of State Minister for Finance Pawan Bansal, who said he was not there for any false promises. The minister also gave two special coins (of Rs 10 and 100 to the gurdwara management) issued by the government on the occasion of Gurta Gaddi Divas.
But before the minister could end his speech, Harjinder Kaur opposed him for diverting the attention of the sangat from the real issue. Sensing the mood, Pawan Bansal criticised the activity of the UT administration and said two or three officials of the administration should talk to the gurdwara management before taking a big step. He also promised to the leader present there that he would talk to the senior officials of the UT administration to solve the matter.
Other leaders who voiced their concern were Harmohan Dhawan, Satpal Jain and Krishan Chander Ahuja.
Baba Sarup Singh, head of gurdwara Santsar Sahib, denied all allegations of the UT administration and said, “We are having the registry of gurdwara land and haven’t encroached even a single inch of land.”
He even stated that gurdwara followers not even fired a single bullet from inside the gurdwara and alleged that it was a plan to involve the gurdwara in this activity. The leaders decided to announce further action after the marriage of Gurpreet Singh, son of Baba Sarup Singh, scheduled for February 8.
Meanwhile, those arrested were Harnek Singh, Satbir Singh, Simranpreet Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Harbaaz Singh and BS Sondhi, have been remanded for 14 days to the judicial custody.
