Press Release by Sikh Council UK On Disrespect Of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji In Bradford, UK

The following press release was issued by the Sikh Council UK following a meeting between the West Yorkshire Police and representatives of the Sikh community.  Sikh24 had earlier provided an update on the incident, that story is available here.

LONDON, UK—Following a meeting between West Yorkshire Police and representatives of the Sikh community, Sikh Council UK is able to provide further information about the incident that took place on Friday 12 August 2016 at the Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara, Leeds Road, Bradford.

At around 10.30pm Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji was thrown over the gates of the Gurdwara by an unknown individual and remained there until discovered later the next day.  The act of throwing caused damage to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji with further damage caused by inclement weather during the period Sri Guru Granth Sahib lay on the ground.  This incident has caused a great deal of alarm to Sikhs in Bradford, across the UK and the rest of the world.

The following information has now been shared by West Yorkshire Police:

  • West Yorkshire Police have identified and interviewed the person responsible. 
  • The person is a white Christian woman whose mother had links to a Granthi in the past.  The Granthi passed away a few years ago and her mother passed away recently.
  • Following the recent death of her mother, her intention was to repatriate Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji to the Gurdwara Sahib for proper safekeeping and care.  She attempted to do this and finding the Gurdwara was closed attempted to leave Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at the Gurdwara gate. 
  • The woman claims she had no malicious intention and did not understand the disrespect her actions were causing against Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
  • West Yorkshire Police will not be charging the woman with any crime.
  • West Yorkshire Police are prepared to facilitate a meeting between Panj Singh and the lady concerned.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib is not only the holy scriptures of the Sikhs but is also revered as our eternal living Guru.  The first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, was followed by nine further Gurus in human form.  The tenth Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji oversaw the final compilation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and ordained Sikhs that the human lineage will end and the eternal light passed down from Guru Nanak Dev Ji will for eternity reside in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.  The importance of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji to Sikhs cannot be overstated.  Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is revered as a living Guru and is afforded the utmost respect in care. 

Secretary General of Sikh Council UK, Gurmel Singh said, “The disrespect of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is a very difficult issue for Sikhs the world over and more so following a number of recent deliberate acts of disrespect of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in India that remain unresolved.  The information shared by West Yorkshire Police is welcome as a key step for the community to understand the exact circumstances of what occurred.  I would urge the community to remain calm and to allow the authorities time and space to carry out their proper role.  Sikh Council UK wants to see a speedy resolution to this issue but we are also aware that this needs to happen within the remit of proper process.”

He added, “We will continue working with the authorities and the entire Sikh community to achieve a satisfactory resolution to this.  A key factor that has become apparent is the need for the community to step up our work to educate all those around us of the importance of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji to Sikhs.  This should be given due consideration in the days and weeks to come.”

3 COMMENTS

  1. The problem with our Panth is that we do not address root causes of any of our problems.

    The two biggest internal problems that are stopping our Panth from being one and growing are:
    1. Too many Gurdvarae – there need only be one or two per city. Imagine all the Sangat coming together, we wouldn’t be faced with the problem we are now where halls are empty during the week, the overheads of operating them are causing debt. Imagine the resources we could put in place if all those donations were put together and the impact we could have on our youth.
    2. Saroops of our beloved Guru Maharaaj are too easily available, which means any TomDickHarry who wants to open a new Gurdvara because he has too much ego to work with his fellow bretheren, can go and buy a saroop and open a Gurdvara.

    There needs to be a wolrdwide stop to printing saroops – until then:
    – the next generation are less likely to do mehnat to memorise Gurbani by heart
    – Sangat will not come together as there are too many factions caused by the simple access to purchase saroops and then go on to…..
    – ……opening new Gurdvarae around the corner from where there are already 5 others

    Sangat Ji, if we can’t overcome our differences and do seva/simran together operating from only one or two Gurdvarae per city, how will we ever come together to tackle all of the other problems?!

    Who is monitoring all of this? Why is it being allowed? Why can’t we rise above our individual greed and ego and try to work with each other?

    • You make a reasoned argument. The SGPC would ideally be the governing body to monitor and administrate to resolve the issues but unfortunately they have been thoroughly infiltrated by Hinduvta mafia and are no longer acting in the interest of the Sikh Panth so have no legitimacy or moral authority.

      • The only way is if Akaal Takhat Sahib takes control of the situation and sets a worldwide rule that there should only 1 Gurdvara per x miles radius. When this happens, it will solve many of our internal problems; Sangat will have no option but to work together; this will mean increased Sangat numbers at the Gurdvara equating to more opportunities for seva/simran together and greater impact of parchaar. It will also force the closure of all of these dera-type Gurdvaras who are causing so many factions and the destruction of our Panthic ekta – their sole aim should be parchaar which can happen at the only Gurdvara in x miles radius. Someone needs to research into “how the (ridiculous) number of Gudvara Sahibs in a small radius is impacting on the Sikh panth”

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