The BJP on Thursday attacked Pakistan over the demolition of a historic 125-year-old gurdwara in Farooqabad, with party leader Amit Malviya stating that the incident exposes Pakistan's hypocrisy and serves as a message for Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
BJP leader calls demolition a stark reminder
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP's IT department, said the demolition of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib is not merely an act of vandalism but a stark reminder of the systematic neglect and deliberate erasure of Sikh heritage in Pakistan. He accused Pakistan's agencies of trying to mislead Sikhs against India while allowing the destruction of Sikh history within its own borders.
“The Sikh community has seen through Pakistan’s devious agenda and knows who truly safeguards its faith, heritage and rights, and who seeks to exploit it for geopolitical ends,” Malviya said. He added that Pakistan and its collaborators in India will be reduced to political insignificance, and there is a message in this for the ruling AAP as well.
Historic gurdwara demolished by local businessman
The decades-old gurdwara was demolished by a local businessman in Pakistan's Punjab province, sparking protests from the minority Sikh community. According to an official of the Punjab government, the businessman demolished the gurdwara without obtaining the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the department concerned. The department did not take notice until Sikhs in the area protested.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the matter following the protest. On Wednesday, Punjab Minorities Minister Ramesh Singh Arora visited the site and announced its immediate restoration. He was accompanied by the Deputy Commissioner of Sheikhupura, Assistant Commissioner Imran Ali Harl, the Chief Officer of the Municipal Committee, and officials from the Auqaf Department.
Restoration ordered after protest
Arora said that according to preliminary information, the businessman demolished the gurdwara without NOC from the Auqaf Department. Chief Minister Maryam made it clear that the government is fully committed to protecting the fundamental rights of minorities and safeguarding their places of worship. The minister directed the Auqaf Department to conduct an inquiry into the ownership and status of the land, noting that initial information suggested the property was not registered as Auqaf land.
“I personally inspected the site and instructed the relevant authorities to submit a fact-based report at the earliest,” Arora said.
India condemns 'despicable act'
India on Wednesday described the demolition as deeply distressing and strongly condemned the highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called upon Pakistan to bring the perpetrators to justice and restore the demolished portions of the gurdwara at the earliest.
“Its destruction, along with reports of no meaningful action being taken by local authorities or the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), is a matter of grave concern,” the MEA said. It flagged that this is not an isolated incident, as similar reports have emerged earlier, indicating the systemic targeting of religious minorities and their places of worship in Pakistan continues unabated.
