Attack on Nankana Sahab reprehensible and must be condemned: Rahul Gandhi

Rahul tweeted, "The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote."

A large number of Muslim protesters surrounded the holy Sikh shrine of Gurdwara Nankana Sahib on Friday afternoon, threatening to overrun the site if their demands for the release of suspects in an alleged forced conversion case were not met, according to reports in Dawn and other media.

Anti-Sikh slogans were raised at the site, the birth place of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism even as India condemned the attack. 

According to Dawn, the protesters dispersed after several hours in the evening following successful negotiations between them and government representatives, which led to the release of the arrested persons.The Pakistani newspaper reported that the mob was led by the family of a man, Ehsan, who was accused of forcibly converting a Sikh woman, Jagjit Kaur, earlier this year.

Meanwhile, India on Friday condemned vandalism at the Gurudwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and said the 'reprehensible action' followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August 2018.

"Members of the minority Sikh community have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji. These reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year," an MEA statement said.

It further said: "India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place".

"We call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in desecration of the holy Gurudwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community."

In addition, Government of Pakistan is enjoined to take "all measures to protect and preserve the sanctity of the holy Nankana Sahib Gurudwara and its surroundings".

According to reports, a mob attack took place at the shrine where the Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev was born.

(Image Credit: Congress Twitter)