YEARS
The MEA spokesperson said that we have seen reports regarding the Guru Granth Sahib being confiscated by Qatari authorities and the Sikh community demanding its release. The government has already taken up the matter with the Qatari side and our Embassy has kept the Sikh community in Doha informed about developments in this regard.
The statement by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal comes days after two holy ‘saroops’ of the Guru Granth Sahib were seized by authorities in Doha. In a detailed statement, the MEA spokesperson said that Indian officials have already taken up the matter with Qatar authorities and are seeking an early resolution. The MEA spokesperson said that we have seen reports regarding the Guru Granth Sahib seized by Qatari authorities and the Sikh community demanding their release. The government has already taken up the matter with the Qatari side and our embassy has kept the Sikh community in Doha informed about developments in this regard.
It is worth noting that the incident involved the confiscation of two ‘saroops’ of the Guru Granth Sahib by Qatari authorities from individuals allegedly operating religious establishments without the approval of the local government. While the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that one ‘saroop’ of the holy book has been returned, it assured that the other ‘saroop’ is being kept with respect.
The Ministry of External Affairs also emphasised that it will continue to pursue the matter with Qatar authorities as a high priority, hoping for an early resolution. Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal had earlier appealed to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to intervene in the release of two ‘saroops’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji from police custody in Qatar.
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