Friday, May 25, 2007
Sikhs demonstrate against Indian national posing as Sikh saint
LAHORE: Many Sikhs staged a demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club (LPC) on Thursday to condemn the âblasphemousâ act of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, an Indian national who tried to copy the 10th Sikh Guru, Goband Singh Ji.
The demonstrators blocked the road in front of the LPC for about half an hour and burnt an effigy of Rahim, demanding that the Indian government take stern action against him. The demonstration was followed by a press conference under the banner of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC). PSGPC President Sardar Bishan Singh said that Sikhs were a peace-loving nation, but would not allow anyone to conspire against them and insult their saints. He warned that the Sikhs would deal with the situation by themselves if the Indian government did not take appropriate action.
He said that the Akal Takht in India had issued a charge sheet against Rahim, directing him to apologise and leave Haryana before May 27, otherwise he would be responsible of consequences.
The PSGPC president added that Rahim had conspired against all three major religions (Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism) of the subcontinent in the name of inter-faith harmony and claiming that he belonged to all the three religions. He said that Rahim had borrowed his first name from Sikhism, the second from Hinduism and third from Islam.
Sardar Sham Singh alleged that Indian agencies were backing Rahim and were involved in fanning religious hatreds and ambiguities. He said that some elements were trying to eliminate jihad from Islam and trying to hurt the religious sentiments of followers of other religions too. He added that jihad was essential for the protection of faith in todayâs world.
Former PSGPC president Sardar Sham Singh, Sardar Mastan Singh, Sardar Rawel Singh and Dr Sahab Singh were also present on the occasion.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\05\25\story_25-5-2007_pg7_42
Sikhs demonstrate against Indian national posing as Sikh saint
LAHORE: Many Sikhs staged a demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club (LPC) on Thursday to condemn the âblasphemousâ act of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, an Indian national who tried to copy the 10th Sikh Guru, Goband Singh Ji.
The demonstrators blocked the road in front of the LPC for about half an hour and burnt an effigy of Rahim, demanding that the Indian government take stern action against him. The demonstration was followed by a press conference under the banner of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC). PSGPC President Sardar Bishan Singh said that Sikhs were a peace-loving nation, but would not allow anyone to conspire against them and insult their saints. He warned that the Sikhs would deal with the situation by themselves if the Indian government did not take appropriate action.
He said that the Akal Takht in India had issued a charge sheet against Rahim, directing him to apologise and leave Haryana before May 27, otherwise he would be responsible of consequences.
The PSGPC president added that Rahim had conspired against all three major religions (Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism) of the subcontinent in the name of inter-faith harmony and claiming that he belonged to all the three religions. He said that Rahim had borrowed his first name from Sikhism, the second from Hinduism and third from Islam.
Sardar Sham Singh alleged that Indian agencies were backing Rahim and were involved in fanning religious hatreds and ambiguities. He said that some elements were trying to eliminate jihad from Islam and trying to hurt the religious sentiments of followers of other religions too. He added that jihad was essential for the protection of faith in todayâs world.
Former PSGPC president Sardar Sham Singh, Sardar Mastan Singh, Sardar Rawel Singh and Dr Sahab Singh were also present on the occasion.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\05\25\story_25-5-2007_pg7_42
