The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has raised strong objections to the construction of a pavilion (pandal) in Pune, Maharashtra, that intentionally replicates the sacred Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) as part of the Hindu festival Ganesh Chaturthi. The SGPC has condemned this act, calling it an attempt to incite Sikh sentiments and an affront to the principles of Sikhism.
The SGPC emphasized that Sikhs do not subscribe to Hindu mythology and that the deliberate replication of their holiest shrine for a non-Sikh religious festival goes against the core tenets of their faith. Sikhism advocates the worship of one God, and idol worship is strictly prohibited within the religion. The SGPC and other Sikh scholars have denounced this move as a mischievous attempt to undermine Sikh identity and misrepresent the Sikh community as a sect of Hinduism.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami expressed deep concern over the involvement of a Pune gurdwara's management, which allegedly has connections with local BJP and RSS leaders, in supporting this initiative. Dhami described this collaboration as "painful" and announced that an inquiry team would be sent to Pune to investigate the matter further.
Comments