Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Tuesday condemned the alleged efforts being made in Punjab for religious conversions by ''some so-called Christian missionaries''. The head priest of Akal Takht, the temporal seat of Sikhs, asserted that any forced religious conversion will not be tolerated at any cost.
Singh and Dhami demanded action against those who convert people forcibly or through allurement.
They also demanded the withdrawal of an FIR against some Nihangs who were booked for allegedly disrupting an event organised by Christian missionaries at Daduana village in Amritsar district on Monday.
Nihang Sikhs are armed with traditional weapons and dressed in loose blue robes.
Registering a case against Nihang Sikhs after they made an effort to stop some people working for alleged religious conversion at Daduana village on Sunday at Mehta road in Amritsar was highly unfortunate, the Sikh leaders said.
"It is sad that some people are deliberately disturbing the environment of Punjab by giving it a communal colour and it will not be tolerated, they said.
They said strict action should be taken against people who are converting people forcibly, by allurement, fraudulent manner and by spreading superstitions.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Dhami on Tuesday inaugurated special help desks at the plaza outside the Golden Temple.
The attendants deputed here will give information about the history of Sri Harmandar Sahib, besides other Sikh shrines, langar (community kitchen) and 'sarais' (inns).
On a recent visit of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann with family to the Golden Temple, Dhami alleged that security escort of the chief minister had created obstacles for the devotees.
Mann had visited the shrine on Sunday. Dhami said it is highly unfortunate that the devotees were "harassed and stopped" by the administration during the visit of the Punjab CM to pay obeisance. He said political leaders should pay obeisance at the Guru's house as a humble Sikh and "not in an authoritarian manner".
