India on Friday said it has raised the issue of confiscation of copies of the Guru Granth Sahib with Qatar and the matter is being treated on high priority. “We have seen reports about confiscation of copies of the Guru Granth Sahib by Qatari authorities and the Sikh community demanding their return,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said.
He said the government has already taken up the matter with Qatar and the Indian embassy in Doha has apprised the Sikh community there of the development. Responding to media queries on the issue, Jaiswal said, “Qatar authorities had seized two copies of Guru Granth Sahib from two individuals/groups who were accused of running a religious establishment without the approval of the Qatar government.” He said, “Our embassy has provided all possible assistance within the ambit of local laws and regulations.”
Jaiswal said, “One copy of the holy book was returned by the Qatar authorities and it was assured that the other copy will also be kept with respect. We hope for an early resolution of the issue.” Earlier, former Union Food Processing Minister and current MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal said on Friday that she has written a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar requesting him to raise the issue of release of two copies of Sri Guru Granth Sahib from police custody in Qatar.
“He was informed that the Sikh community in Qatar was shocked and distressed that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, whom the community considers as a living Guru, had been made case property. Appealing to him for immediate intervention in the matter, we requested him to take up the issue of allowing Qatari Sikhs to establish their own Gurdwaras so that they can practice their religion freely,” Badal wrote on Twitter.
