Woman denied entry to Golden Temple; SGPC clarifies after video goes viral
Amritsar: A controversy erupted when a woman claimed that she was denied entry to the Golden Temple, Amritsar, because she was supporting a tattoo of national Tricolour painted on her face, a general practice with the visitors who get it done while going to watch ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony held at Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post every evening. SGPC has submitted apology if any of its employees misbehaved with any visitor. However, SGPC general secretary Gursharan Singh Grewal said that the issue was being blown out of proportion to give it a political colour. “We are apologetic over misbehavior on the part of any of our employees towards the visitors. Taking prompt action, we have replaced him and ordered an enquiry about this incident, yet his bad behaviour should not be stretched to make it a patriotic issue and defaming the Sikh religion,” he said.
He said that many attempts were being made, in the recent past, to tarnish the image of Sikh religion and challenge its principles under the deep-rooted conspiracies. He said that every religion has its principles and codes that have to be followed.
The issue has gained momentum when a 40-second-video clip went viral on the social media captioned as ‘Khalistanis taking over Golden Temple!’ After focusing on the tattoo on her face, she was seen complaining to a man, who reportedly accompanied her, that a sewadar on the entry passage had intercepted her.
Ugly exchange of arguments started soon after the man questioned the sewadar. “Sardar jee, you stopped this gudia (she) from entering, what was the reason?,” he asked. It was being claimed that the sewadar reportedly objected over the flag painted on her face. The man further questioned him “Is it not India? To this, the sewadar said. “No. This is Punjab”.
The woman too entered into the argument saying he talked ‘bakwaas’ (rubbish) as if the Golden Temple was not in India.