Keeping holy scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib confiscated, big disrespect by Doha Police: Harjinder Singh Dhami

Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, taking strong notice of the confiscation of two holy scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib by the local police in Doha, Qatar, requested the External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India and the Indian Ambassador to Qatar to immediately intervene in this matter. Expressing strong objection, the SGPC President said that respect for Sri Guru Granth Sahib is above all for the Sikh community and keeping the holy scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib confiscated at the police station is a big disrespect, which cannot be tolerated. This matter was recently brought to the attention of the Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib by United Kingdom based Sikh organization Bhai Kanhaiya Humanitarian Aid, who directed SGPC to pursue this matter.

In the light of the order by the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the SGPC has also written letters to the External Affairs Minister of India and the Indian Ambassador in Doha, Qatar. Advocate Dhami said that regarding this matter, it was brought to the notice of Bhai Kanhaiya Humanitarian Aid that a Sikh was arrested by Doha Police in Qatar in December 2023, who was later released, but two holy scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib taken from him are still kept in Al Wakara police station by Doha Police administration which is a great disrespect to the Sikh Guru (master). He said that the Sikh who was arrested and later released in Doha, used to practice the Sikh faith privately along with local community members in the Gurdwara Sahib established in his private property at Birkat Al-Awamer without any public display, due to strict restrictions of Qatar Government on the non-Islamic faiths public worship, etc. Meanwhile, the holy scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib which were taken from his property and kept at Al Wakara Police Station in Doha, are still present there.

He said that in this matter, letters have been written to EAM India Dr. S. Jaishankar and Indian Ambassador to Qatar at Doha Mr. Vipul, requesting their immediate cognizance and intervention in this matter to release holy scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib from the confiscation at Al Wakara Police Station in Doha and transport the same to nearby Gurdwara Sahib with due respect and Sikh conduct.