Giani Raghbir Singh condemns attack on Sikh businessmen in Rishikesh
He described the attack—where the victim was assaulted physically and his turban and Kes (unshorn hair) were offended
Giani Raghbir Singh on Rishikesh Sikh mob lynching attack latest news: Sri Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh has pronounced in clear-cut terms that the communal group's attack on a Sikh businessman in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand is an attack on the fundamental rights of different religions in the country.
In a press release issued from the Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh emphasized that it is the first duty of any democratic government to provide protection to human rights and freedoms of citizens of all faiths. He severely criticized the act and declared that it is a shame on the democratic atmosphere of the country that a crowd of people treated the turban and Kes of a Sikh businessman in this way over a frivolous issue.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) also has taken this issue seriously and in a written letter to the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami requested stern action against the culprits. The SGPC Chief Secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan highlighted that the mob is evidently targeting Sikh traders in videos being circulated on social media.
The incident evoked anger with demands for immediate action from the authorities. Mannan pointed out that a turban of one of the victims was pushed off by one of the attackers, who is also believed to have committed a sacrilege, and desecrated his Kes. He asked for the authorities to make charges under hurt religious sentiments additional in the case against the perpetrators.
The police in the state have been faulted for their failure to act during the incident, with reports that they stood by as mere spectators as the situation spiraled out of control. This has created serious questions regarding law and order in Uttarakhand, with many likening the state's worsening security situation to that of Uttar Pradesh, where mob violence is never checked.
The SGPC threatened that inaction and delay in taking action will be detrimental to the minority Sikh community in Uttarakhand.
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