Amritsar, Punjab (November 8, 2011): Gurudwara Gian Godri, a Sikhs Gurudwara that was set up at Har-ki-Pauri in memory of Guru Nanak Dev’s to Haridwar in 1504-05, was destroyed by notorious mobs as a part of genocidal violance against Sikhs in November 1984.
Now Sikhs want to reconstruct his shrine, but the Government is not allowing it to raise it at original place.
On November 7, 2011 Sikhs have began a march from the Sri Darbar Sahib, Sri Amritsar to Haridwar to built pressure on the Uttaranchal State government to reconstruct this 450 year old Sikhs Gurdwara.
The march started after offering Ardas (Sikh prayer) at the Sri Akaal Takhat Sahib, which is the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs.
Gurcharan Singh Babbar, President of the All India Sikh Conference (AISC), told media that march was meant to pressurise Uttaranchal state government for reconstruction of Gurdwara Gyan Godhri. He said the shrine should be restored at its original place, that is at Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar.
He further added that the administration’s offer of land for construction of Gurudwara at an alternative site is not acceptable.
“We want to worship at the same place where Guru Nanak gave his holy message against meaningless rituals. We have revenue records to prove that the land was in the Gurdwara’s name,” Gurcharan Singh Babbar told media reporters.
It is notable that SGPC controlled by Badal Dal is evading its responsibility in this matter. SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar is reported to have said that the march was unplanned and would not yield any result. Previously Makkar had retracted from extending any help for construction of Sikh Genocide memorial at Village Hondh Cillar in Haryana. Such attitude is considered to be outcome of policy alignment of Badal Dal with Indian state in strategic political conflict between India and the Sikhs.