Chandigarh: Ravidasia community in Punjab has called for a state-wide bandh on Tuesday (August 13) over the demolition of the 500-year-old Sri Guru Ravidas Temple and Samadhi located in Delhi’s Tughlakabad. In Jalandhar, all schools, colleges, government offices will be closed on the directions of Office of Deputy Commissioner.
Here are the live updates on Punjab bandh:
* Members of Ravidasia community reach outside the site of demolished Guru Ravidas temple in Delhi and offer flowers. The protestors inform Zee News that a petition in the matter will be filed. Protestors will also observe a black day on August 15 and convene on August 21 to decide on the further course of action.
* Ludhiana affected by state-wide bandh. Demonstrators from Ravidasia community took to streets to protest. Heavy security deployed.
* A delegation of representatives from SAD, BJP and AAP Punjab will meet Union Minister of State Hardeep Singh Puri at 11 am today (August 13).
* Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal held consultations with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal who assured of resolving the matter.
“We met the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Sh Anil Baijal ji and conveyed that the Baani of Sri Guru Ravi Dass ji is inextricable part of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji with a nention that we won’t tolerate Beadbi to religious Gurus. Hon’ble LG has assured to look for resolving the issue,” he tweeted
* In Jalandhar, all schools, colleges, government offices will be closed on the directions of Office of Deputy Commissioner.
* In a series of tweets, Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal condemned the demolition of the temple. “The demolition of the 500-year-old Sri Ravidas temple in Delhi is condemnable and testifies @AamAadmiParty’s thought process. Held a meeting with party’s senior leadership in Delhi on the tense situation emerged out of the incident. The entire @Akali_Dal_ leadership decided that the decision took by AAP has hurt the sentiments of the entire Ravidas community and must be opposed strongly. Party delegation will soon approach Home Minister @AmitShah Ji and bring to his notice the seriousness of the matter,” he tweeted on Monday.
Shiromani Akali Dal also offered to restore the legal case as well as re-build the historic Temple at party’s expenses.
“Shiromani Akali Dal condemns the demolition and vandalism of the historic Sri Guru Ravidass Temple by Delhi Development Authority at Tughlakabad Delhi. We are ready to help restore the legal case as well as re-build the historic Temple at party’s expenses,” he added.
* Punjab Transport Minister Aruna Chaudhary held talks with the members of the community over the state-wide bandh.
* Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has sought the Prime Minister’s intervention to resolve the matter. He also spoke to Union Urban Develop Minister Hardeep Singh Puri requesting in the peaceful settlement of the issue. The CM also has constituted a five-member committee to meet the religious and political representatives of the community to resolve the issues. The committee consists of Ch. Santokh Singh, Charanjit Singh Channi, Raj Kumar Chabbewal, Aruna Chaudhary and Sushil Kumar Rinku.
* Members of the community, under the banner of the Guru Ravidas Jayanti Samaroh Samiti, have also announced observing Black Day on August 15 as a mark of protest against razing of the temple.
*Following the demolition of the temple, carried out of the orders of Supreme Court, members of several Dalit communities carried out protests at several places in Punjab Saturday (August 10). The protested blocked National Highway-1 opposite the temple, causing trouble to commuters. They also protested at Jalandhar, Phagwara, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur and Amritsar. As per legends, Guru Ravidasji visited the place around 1509 during the reign of Emperor Sikander.
Bureau Report
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