Row over demolition of tomb

JAMMU, NOV. 25. A controversy has erupted over the demolition of the tomb of Bibi Chand Kaur, daughter-in-law of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, with the Jammu and Kashmir Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee and state unit of the Akali Dal condemning the action while the Sikhs Students Federation and the splinter group of the Akali Dal justifying it. The tomb was demolished by the DGPC yesterday.

``DGPC is justified as far as demolition of the samadhi is concerned. As per Sikh ideology there is no importance to a tomb,'' leaders of the SSF, SAD (Mann) said in a statement here today.

``The Sikh community has a clear verdict to renovate or modify the gurudwara as per needs and aspirations of the community,'' the leaders said. They, however, said that instead of tarnishing the image of the Sikh community in newspapers, these disgruntled elements should approach the Shri Akal Takht Sahib, the supreme authority of the Sikhs.

Earlier, the State Gurudwara Prabandak Board (SGPB) president, Mr. Sudershan Singh Wazir, the former Minister, Mr. Rangeel Singh, the JK unit of the State Akali Dal, the All India Sikh Students Federation, Bhai Kanaya Nishkam Sewa Society and some other Sikh units condemned the demolition of the tomb and equated it with the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas.

- PTI

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