A video is doing the rounds on social media which purportedly shows that a girl was stopped from entering the Golden Temple situated in Amritsar, Punjab, solely because she had the Indian National Flag painted on her face. In the video, when the man who stopped the girl was asked by someone as to why he did not let the girl enter the Gurudwara, the man can be heard saying, “Ye flag saaf karo” (Wipe this flag off).
Shockingly, when the man, in turn, was asked as to why the flag was needed to be wiped off, he replied, “This is Punjab and not India”! The man then started arguing when he was called out by that girl and the other man for what he said.
तिरंगा पेंट कराकर गई लड़की को स्वर्ण मंदिर में घुसने से रोका, रोकने वाला बोला- ये पंजाब है, इंडिया नहीं
– रोकने वाला शिरोमणि गुरुद्वारा प्रबंधक कमेटी (SGPC) का कर्मचारी बताया जा रहा है।
– वीडियो वायरल होने के बाद SGPC ने कहा कि इस घटना पर अफ़सोस। जाति-धर्म देख नहीं रोकते। pic.twitter.com/totsTQwEL3— Shubhankar Mishra (@shubhankrmishra) April 17, 2023
It is being said that the man who barred the girl from entering is a staffer of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). After this purported video went viral, the SGPC President, Harjinder Singh Dhami said, “Conversation between devotee and sewadar should not be portrayed negatively”. His statement was made public via the official Twitter handle of the SGPC, and the tweet further said that there is respect for every pilgrim visiting Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib, but following maryada is necessary.
As per Dhami’s statement, condemning the ‘narrative’ which is being created against Sikhs on social media, the conversation between the sewadar and the girl is being ‘misinterpreted’ and falsely propagated, as the girl was only asked to follow the code of conduct. The SGPC President added that it is not right to make fabricated and baseless comments on social media to tarnish the image of Sikhs and defame the management of the organization over an incident.
Conversation between devotee and sewadar should not be portrayed negatively: Harjinder Singh Dhami
-Respect to every pilgrim visiting Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib, but following Maryada is necessary
Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder… pic.twitter.com/1O7Jq8QpK2— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCAmritsar) April 17, 2023
But the larger question which is to be asked here is what code of conduct or Maryada would not allow the nation’s flag inside a pilgrimage centre’s premises? What maryada was being crossed by the girl if she had the national flag painted on her face? Is the nation’s flag against public decency? On top of all of this, why would the sewadar say that this is Punjab and not India? Is Punjab not a part of India?
The sewadar’s statement reeks of Khalistani mindset and it is shocking to see that rather than apologizing for the man’s statements, the SGPC President has come out and said that this is anti-Sikh propaganda. Why is it that someone speaking against the national flag is a concern for maryada, but people taking a stand for their national flag, anti-Sikh propaganda?
