AMRITSAR: The Sikhs world wide expressed anguish against beating up of Sikh Pathis (reciters) by members of a Satkar Committee from Gagobuha (district Jalandhar) for uploading a video of beating up an old man and three other men brutally for committing sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib.
The Sikhs on social networking sites have shown their anger against the members of Satkar Committee and demanded strict action against them. The Sikhs have compared the activities of Satkar Committee with Taliban of Afghanistan.
In above mentioned incident, Akhand Path Sahib of Guru Granth Sahib was going on at a Jathera in village Sidhupur. ‘Jathere’ is a land site earmarked by a certain community for its ancestors. ‘Jathere’ are made by most castes in their native villages (both upper and lower castes). Members of Satkar Committee picked the Pathis who were doing Akhand Path Sahib, and started beating them including an old man, mercilessly.
It is worth mentioning that Satkar Committee activists also committed disrespect of turbans of ‘Pathis’. On the other hand, some supporters of Satkar Committee justify this act as it is necessary to stop disrespect of Guru Granth Sahib.
According to Satkar Committee, they had scheduled a public meeting with the organizers to discuss the issue of doing an Akhand path at the site for 10am. These Pathis colluded with the organizers and started the path at 6am (before they could discuss the issue). The narrator is saying that people say that it is bad to beat someone up but what should we do with such pathis who are supposed to show the right path to people but end up doing anti-sikh acts for money.
SGPC President Avtar Singh Makkar also expressed his displeasure over such an act and demanded police action against the culprits. He said that a true Sikh can’t punish anybody in such a barbaric way. He asked the victims of Satkar Committee to approach SGPC or members of SGPC in their area for help. He said that no such act would be tolerated.
Damdami Taksal has also demanded strict action against the members of Satkar Committee who have committed barbaric act. Harnam Singh Khalsa head of Damdami Taksal said that such acts of hooliganism were intolerable and it gives a bad name to whole Sikh community. He said that if anybody is violating Sikh maryada, the matter4 should be brought into notice of top Sikh clergy. He appealed to Akal Takht to take notice of activities of Satkar Committee.
Reacting on the incident, Ex-Jathedar Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti also condemned the action of Satkar Committee and sought immediate action against the accused. He said that no religion can allow violence and such acts would tarnish image of Sikh community in the world.