Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday alleged that the Delhi Police entered Gurdwara Sri Bangla Sahib in Delhi wearing shoes, bareheaded and carrying batons to detain youth protesting against “vote chori”. The party called it a violation of the gurdwara’s sanctity and an affront to Sikh religious sentiments.AAP questioned whether the BJP wanted to violate the sanctity of Gurdwara Sahib in a manner reminiscent of Operation Blue Star in 1984. The party also condemned dragging of a Sikh protester through the streets and the tearing of his trousers, while expressing concern over the silence surrounding the police action and accusing the BJP of disregarding Sikh religious traditions and the sanctity of the Guru Ghar.Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said, “A shameful act by Delhi police under the Modi govt. To detain young people raising their voices against vote-chori, police personnel entered Gurdwara Sri Bangla Sahib bare-headed and wearing shoes, violating the sanctity of the holy shrine.”Minister Harpal Singh Cheema added, “Just as the Congress inflicted immense suffering on the Sikh community through Operation Blue Star in 1984, does the BJP now want to violate the sanctity of Gurdwara Sri Bangla Sahib Ji in Delhi in a similar manner? We will not tolerate politics that inflicts such deep wounds on the Sikh community.”Minister Baljit Kaur stated, “By disregarding the sacred sanctity of Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, the BJP’s Delhi Police has deeply hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. Entering the Guru Ghar wearing shoes, bareheaded and carrying batons to arrest young people raising their voices against vote-chori is highly condemnable. A Gurdwara is a place of refuge for everyone, not a place to display police high-handedness. The BJP’s actions have once again exposed its disregard for Sikh religious traditions and the sanctity of the Guru Ghar.”
