Gurudwaras in BC too join the ban list, Akal Takht jathedar justifies the decision

Days after  gurudwaras in Ontario banned the entry of Indian government representatives, more gurudwara management committees in Canada and the US followed suit and barred Indian officials, RSS and Shiv Sena members from entering guruudwaras under their control.

An announcement in this regard was made on Sunday at New York’s Guruudwara Sikh Cultural Society right after a religious congregation organised to observe death anniversary of Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh, who were given death penalty for killing former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi.

Statement released by these gurudwaras read, “This initiative was moved forward in western Canada by Gurudwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar (Surrey, BC) and Gurudwara Dasmesh Culture Centre (Calgary, AB) and a total of 16 Gurudwaras in BC & Alberta agree and support that sewadars of Gurudwara Sahibs reserve the right to bar access to the stage and entry to officials of the Indian government. This would include, but not be limited to, Indian elected officials, Indian Consular officials, and members of organizations like RSS and Shiv Sena.” It said, “To be clear, no individual is being banned from Gurudwara Sahibs, but Indian representatives in official capacity will not be permitted to address the sangat.”

The statement added: “Although this policy of restriction exists informally, it is due time for a formal declaration. This step is being taken not to restrict access to the Guruu, but rather to ensure that the Gurudwara Sahib remains independent from the interference of corrupt officials who represent a government that for the last four decades has committed genocide against the Sikh community and has never had positive intentions in dealing with Sikhs as a separate nation of people.”

Meanwhile from India, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurubachan Singh has justified the decision of the managing committees of gurudwaras in Canada, United Kingdom and the United States to. He, however, claimed that the ban is only confined to making speeches, receiving ‘siropas’ (robes of honour) or related activities on the gurudwara premises. “We enquired about it and found that there is no ban on paying obeisance, listening to gurubani, discourse, kirtan, doing ‘sewa’ (voluntary service) or partaking langar (food in the community kitchen). That Indian officials have been disallowed from entering gurudwara, is misinformation”, he added.

“As far as the ban on certain activities is concerned, I will say it is the prerogative of the gurudwara managing committees whether they will allow someone to speak on the stage or not,” he said. “The gurudwara bodies had a reason to take such step. After all, nobody can interfere in the affairs of any religion,” the head of the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, said. The representatives of gurudwara bodies had also accused the Indian consul officials of interfering in Sikh affairs.

He endorsed the rationale of the managing committees of some gurudwaras in Canada, United Kingdom and the US wherein they had claimed that “Sikhs have not been able to get justice in India on the issues of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence, operation Bluestar and other human rights violations”.