GS Paul
Amritsar, June 18
The SGPC has strongly condemned the multiple blasts that took place in the premises of Gurdwara Dashmesh Pita Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Sabha in Karta-e-Parwan, Kabul this morning.
SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami termed it as the cowardly act repeated at the places of worship of the minorities and said that it clearly shows the diabolical mindset of the criminals and the agencies supporting them.
He said the minorities, especially the Sikhs, are facing widespread discrimination terrorized in Muslim-majority lands, yet all pleas of the Sikh body with the Union ministry to secure them by granting e-visas and rehabilitate them here are deaf. Went. years.
“We have repeatedly raised the issue of security of Sikhs living in Afghanistan and the Union ministry has requested for a policy for their rehabilitation, but it is in vain,” he said.
SGPC Deputy Secretary (Media) Kulwinder Singh Ramdas said that he is in constant touch with the temple president Gurnam Singh.
“They told me that apart from the blasts, gunshots could be heard from a corner of the premises where some of them have been gathered. Not knowing the number of attackers so far, he said that the attackers were inside the gurdwara when 10-12 Sikh sangat were already present at that time. He was unaware about the casualties or any damage as they were unable to enter the gurdwara,” he said.
This was the third such incident in the last eight months when the same Sikh shrine in Kabul was attacked and vandalised.
On October 15, 2021, heavily armed men, who claimed to be from a ‘special unit’ of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, entered the gurdwara, scuffled with members of the Sikh and Hindu communities present at the time.
On October 5, 2021, armed men forcibly entered the Gurdwara, handcuffed private security personnel, detained the local Sikh Sangat present in the Gurdwara and damaged Gurdwara property, including CCTV cameras.
A 30-second video clip had also surfaced on social media at that time, in which armed men wearing masks were searching a cupboard drawer, removing furniture.