HC refuses to stay work at '84 riots memorial

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to grant a stay on the construction of a memorial for the victims of the 1984 Sikh riots at the Gurudwara Rakabganj Sahib complex after the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) assured the court that it would issue a statutory order to stall any illegal construction within the gurudwara premises.

Paramjit Singh Sarna, former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) filed a plea with the High Court on Monday seeking a stay on the construction of the proposed memorial. The NDMC assured the court that they will issue an order to halt construction within the three days, and if the gurudwara committee violates the order, it will initiate statutory action.

The court, however, issued a notice to the Delhi Government, NDMC, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), DSGMC and its current president and sought their replies by July 17. In his petition Sarna had argued that the construction of the memorial should be stayed since it will lead to the creation of an alternate space of worship within the gurudwara premises.

“This is against the Sikh religion and tradition. It amounts to sacrilege,” the petition read. DSGMC however, argued that it was yet to begin any work and the proposal was not in violation of any statutory or building bylaws.

“The foundation stone in question was laid by chief minister Sheila Dikshit in June 2011 in the presence of the petitioner who was then the DSGMC president. No new stone has been laid within the gurudwara premises,” the DSGMC counsel said.