Amritsar: Acting Akal Takht jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj on Saturday urged the Uttarakhand government to take strict action against a man who allegedly threatened Sikhs with a “repeat of June 1984”, saying such remarks posed a serious threat to communal harmony and peace.The man, Ashish Negi of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), allegedly made the remarks amid tensions over recent incidents involving Sikh pilgrims in Uttarakhand. The comments drew condemnation from Sikh organisations, which demanded legal action against him. Negi has since claimed that his remarks were taken out of context and that his words had been twisted. In a statement issued here, Gargajj said the person in question should not forget that he was openly challenging the Sikh community, whose sacrifices and martyrdoms had played a major role in the country’s freedom. “If such behaviour is not stopped, Sikhs may be compelled to take a strong decision regarding travel to Uttarakhand,” he said.Gargajj also directed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to initiate legal proceedings against Negi in Amritsar over his alleged threat and anti-Sikh remarks. He said the remarks reflected deep-rooted anti-Sikh hatred among certain disruptive elements and urged Sikhs to remain vigilant while travelling, but not be provoked.Referring to recent incidents in Uttarakhand, Gargajj said repeated attempts by some elements to question Sikhs’ right to wear the five kakaars must be stopped. He said ensuring the safety of Sikh pilgrims and Punjabi visitors was the responsibility of the Uttarakhand government.He alleged that some local persons had first targeted Sikh pilgrims because of their religious symbols and attire before giving the issue a communal colour and creating tension between the two communities. He urged the state government to identify such disruptive elements and take strict action against them.
