New Delhi: Taking exception to BJP leader Sandeep Dayma calling an increase in the number of mosques and gurdwaras in the country “problematic”, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) — which manages gurdwaras in the country — has alleged that such speeches were a “conspiracy by BJP leaders to defeat the thought of Guru Nanak Dev, which was done in the olden times also”.
Dayma has since apologised, but the SGPC condemned his clarification as well.
The controversy started Wednesday during Dayma’s address at a rally in Tijara, Rajasthan, in support of the party’s candidate from there, Baba Balaknath, after the latter had filed his nomination papers.
In his speech, Dayma said, “If the Congress candidate wins from this constituency, the number of masjids and gurdwaras will rise and that will be problematic for people living here.” He added that these would be uprooted once his party came to power.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also addressed the rally in Tijara, where protests broke out soon after with members of the Sikh community allegedly burning effigies of BJP leaders. The news reached party national secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa who informed the party high command, said party sources. Dayma was then asked to apologise.
Meanwhile, the SGPC issued a statement by its president, Harjinder Singh Dhami, on X Thursday, which said that “for the anti-Sikh statement during the rally in Rajasthan, including the UP CM Shri Adityanath, the organiser of the rally and the person who made the statement should immediately apologise to the Sikh community and the BJP should also clarify its position in this regard.”
Later, in a video apology the same day, shared by the SGPC on X, Dayma said: “During an election rally, I uttered wrong words…I wanted to say masjid-madrasa but somehow said gurdwara. I apologise to the entire Sikh community. The community has saved Hindus and Sanatana Dharma…I don’t know how I have made such a mistake.”
Attaching its reaction to the apology, the SGPC said on X, “Leaders like Sandeep Dayma should be ashamed of issuing (such) a clarification as speaking against the religious place of Muslims is equally condemnable as doing so against gurdwaras.”
Speaking to ThePrint Friday, Dayma said he had apologised for “the slip of tongue”. “It was not deliberate,” he said. “I didn’t mean to hurt sentiments of the Sikh community.”
BJP Alwar district president Umed Singh said to ThePrint Friday, “The party took cognisance of Dayma’s statement and was asked to apologise, which he has done. He even went to a local gurdwara to offer an apology.”
Also read: BJP’s 3rd Rajasthan list — ‘locals’ to challenge Gehlot & Pilot, 2018’s lone Muslim dropped
‘Doors of gurdwaras open to all’
The SGPC president’s statement said, “…history is a witness that the Congress also attacked Sikh shrines under the same thinking, and today the BJP is also seen walking on the same path.” He said that the doors of gurdwaras are always open to everyone and such a small-minded conspiracy of BJP leaders can never succeed.
ਰਾਜਸਥਾਨ ਦੇ ਤਿਜਾਰਾ ਵਿਖੇ ਭਾਜਪਾ ਦੀ ਰੈਲੀ ਸਮੇਂ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਿਆ ਨੂੰ ਉਖਾੜਨ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਕਰਨਾ ਅਤਿ ਨਿੰਦਣਯੋਗ- ਐਡਵੋਕੇਟ ਹਰਜਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਧਾਮੀ
Statement of uprooting Gurdwaras during BJP rally at Tijara in Rajasthan is highly condemnable – Harjinder Singh Dhami @SGPCPresident
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ, 2 ਨਵੰਬਰ-
ਸ਼੍ਰੋਮਣੀ… pic.twitter.com/Ea8JABmp0B
— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCAmritsar) November 2, 2023
It also pointed out that Yogi Adityanath was present at the rally and could have opposed the statement being made.
“At the time of this BJP rally, the Chief Minister (CM) of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Shri Yogi Adityanath was also present on the stage, and it was his responsibility to oppose such a hateful statement on the spot. But it is sad that even as the CM of a state; Shri Adityanath has also become a part of this phenomenon.”
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)