The Sikh Council UK is very concerned to note that an application has been made in secret without any consultation with neither the community /key stakeholder institutes of Amritsar nor the wider global Sikh Community. Sri Harmandar Sahib is a sacred space and over centuries very many Sikhs have died to preserve its sanctity and sovereignty – it is not in the gift of the Indian State nor SGPC or any political party to take this decision.Therefore we urge for this application to be withdrawn immediately and for an independent inquiry to be held as to how it came to be submitted in the first place.
The Sikh Council UK has written to UNESCO, expressing our concerns and the lack of consultation by the Indian Government with the diaspora Sikh Community who are also key stakeholders in relation to issue about the Independance and sovereignity of Harmandar Sahib. We will also be taking this matter up with the Akal Takaht Jathedar during his visit to the UK, this weekend
The Sikh Council UK also recognises that there an urgent need to safeguard the built and historical heritage of the Sikhs and is very concerned at the failure of the those with responsibility to preserve and conserve this heritage leading to widespread heritage vandalism. In this regard we strongly recommend that no Sewa should be given to any party or undertaken with out written agreements as to exactly what needs preservation and how it would be done.In this regard the SGPC is asked to urgently clarify the arrangement being put into place in relation to the bhora of Baba Deep Singh Ji and the Sewa being awarded as to the conservation and preservation arrangements.
We urge all Sikhs to sign the petition, link below and write to and the Prime Minister of India to withdraw the application and UNESCO asking them to refuse the application, if its is not withdrawn.
