Rahul Gandhi's Visit To Golden Temple: Service and Controversy Unfold

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's second consecutive visit to the Golden Temple was marked by active engagement in various acts of service and paying respects inside the sanctum sanctorum. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) expressed its cooperation with his visit.

While some questioned the duration of his stay compared to other non-Sikh politicians, most Sikh organizations refrained from commenting, characterizing Gandhi's visit as "personal and spiritual."

Harcharan Singh Grewal, SGPC's general secretary, raised concerns about Gandhi's family history, asking whether his visit represented repentance and calling on him to address Congress leaders linked to the Sikh massacre.

Paramjit Singh Sarna, Delhi unit president of the Akali Dal, welcomed Gandhi's visit and praised his selfless service.

Amarjit Singh, a professor at Guru Nanak Dev University, criticized SGPC for making a political attack and highlighted the importance of learning from Sikh history without blaming individuals for their family's actions.

Prof (Retd) Dr. Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon, who authored a white paper for SGPC on the aftermath of 1984, commended Gandhi for his humility and viewed his visit as an act of devotion rather than a political statement.

Grewal later clarified his statement, emphasizing Sikh principles of responding to attackers with arms and humble devotees with kindness. He criticized some media outlets for labeling Sikhs as extremists and separatists, citing the positive response to Gandhi's visit as counter-evidence.

Author: Anushka Taraniya

News Writer, MIT ADT University