India has strongly condemned the reported demolition of the 125-year-old Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, near Gurdwara Sacha Sauda in Pakistan's Punjab province, describing the incident as a "highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism" against a revered Sikh shrine.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, issued a statement expressing grave concern over the reported inaction of the local Pakistani authorities and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), the body responsible for safeguarding minority religious sites. The MEA asserted, "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. Its destruction, along with reports of no meaningful action being taken by the local authorities or the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), is a matter of grave concern."
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According to reports, the historic gurdwara was allegedly demolished by unidentified miscreants, reducing the heritage structure and its historical markers to rubble. The shrine is regarded as one of the significant landmarks of the Sikh community due to its close association with the Singh Sabha Movement, which started in Amritsar in 1873 and played a pivotal role in the revival of Sikh religious and cultural identity, later contributing to the establishment of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
India urged the Government of Pakistan to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation and "bring the perpetrators of this despicable act to justice."
"The demolished portions of the Gurdwara Sahib should be restored and reconstructed at the earliest. Further, we urge the Government of Pakistan to discharge its obligations to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of its minority communities and their places of worship, and put a decisive end to the prevailing environment of sectarian violence and religious intolerance in Pakistan," said Jaiswal.
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Before the MEA's statement, a delegation from the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) met officials in New Delhi and submitted a memorandum seeking the Indian government's intervention to ensure the protection and complete restoration of the historic Sikh shrine, reported TOI.
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