Channi, Sukhbir Badal condemn armed fighters forcibly entering Kabul gurudwara

The armed fighters, believed to be from the Taliban, entered the Gurdwara Dashmesh Pita at Karte Parwan, Kabul, in the presence of around 20 members of the Sikh community.

Channi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “immediately direct the Union Ministry of External Affairs to take up the matter with the Afghanistan government for ensuring safety and security of the Sikhs and their religious places”. Meanwhile, Badal sought that the India raise the issue of attacks on religious minorities at an international forum.

I strongly condemn the attack on Gurdwara Sahib in Kabul by armed persons. I urge PM @NarendraModi to immediately direct the Union Ministry of External Affairs to take up the matter with Afghanistan government for ensuring safety & security of the Sikhs and their religious places

— Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) October 16, 2021

“No country should recognise the Taliban. When no minority is safe under their regime in Afghanistan, why should anyone give them legitimacy by recognising them?” Badal said.

No country should recognise the Taliban. When no minority is safe under their regime in #Afghanistan, why should anyone give them legitimacy by recognising them? It’s high time the international community creates pressure on them. 2/2

— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) October 16, 2021

Earlier, the president of the Indian World Forum, Puneet Singh Chandhok, had said that he had received distressed calls from the Sikh community in Kabul.

In a similar incident on October 5, a group of armed men had barged inside a gurdwara and vandalised the premises. They had also smashed CCTV cameras and intimated the gurdwara’s security guards.

Friday’s incident came on the same day as when suicide bombers attacked a Shiite mosque packed with worshippers in southern Afghanistan, killing at least 47 people and wounding 70.