At a time when some Sikh gurdwaras (shrines) in
Canada, the US and the UK have imposed a ban on the entry of Indian authorities on their premises, the Sikh community in the Gulf region is sending out a positive message.
Reacting to this development,
Gurunanak Darbar Sikh Temple, a sprawling gurdwara located at
Jebel Ali vicinity of Dubai, has reiterated their principle of welcoming members from all communities with open arms.
"We are open to all sections of society. We are not paying any heed to such news stories and not even reading anything about it. We are one society and live a peaceful life, with no discrimination against any section of the public," said SP Singh, general manager of Gurunanak Darbar Sikh Temple.
Gurmukh Singh, a native of Ludhiana, who is running a honey business in Dubai for the last 12 years, said, "UAE is home to nearly 200 nationalities and we are staying here in harmony. We do not understand why some gurdwaras in the West are issuing such verdicts as it could adversely impact the psyche of our young generation."
"I am spending my weekends at Dubai gurdwara and am very happy to see that here nobody is even discussing about this issue. So the message is loud and clear, there is no room for such drastic thoughts in the Gulf," added Singh.
Recently Gurunanak Darbar Sikh Temple was in global news for creating a Guinness World Records for hosting a continental breakfast for most number of nationalities in one go. There were 101 different nationalities registered and over 600 people were in attendance. It had almost doubled the previous record of 55 nationalities, achieved by Nutella at the Milan Expo in Italy in 2015.
"On various fronts, we are talking about globalization and international peace. Amid all this, such developments are very discouraging. Sikh community is known for its values of tolerance and sacrifice and this is the time to live up to them in true sense. We are small Sikh community in
Bahrain and we are in full support with Indian authorities," said
Ramanjit Singh, a Jalandharbased NRI, who is running automobile parts business in Bahrain and UAE.
The young Sikh generation is showing a strong commitment towards the values of brotherhood. Malkiat (27), a resident of Dubai and who preferred to keep his profession and surname anonymous, said, "We are trying very hard to present the best portrayal of Sikh community globally, but such moves by some veteran Sikh bodies is condemnable. I hope this issue is settled fast before we start facing any backlash or restriction at any forum."
