"Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in the desecration of the holy Gurdwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community"
India has strongly condemned vandalism at the revered Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and called upon the neighbouring country to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikh community there.
"India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place. We call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community," the government said in a statement.
"We call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community," the MEA added.
"Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in the desecration of the holy Gurdwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community," it said.
"These reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year," the government statement added.
As reported by news agency ANI, an angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on Friday evening. The group was led by the family of a boy who had allegedly abducted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, daughter of gurdwara's pathi.
Akali Dal MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa shared a video of the incident which shows an angry mob shouting anti-Sikh slogans outside the gurdwara.
"Live footage from Nankana Sahib where an angry Muslim mob is outside Gurdwara Sahib and raising anti-Sikh slogans... I urge Imran Khan to take immediate action on such communal incidents that are increasing the insecurity in the minds of Sikhs of Pakistan," Mr. Sirsa tweeted.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has also appealed to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to intervene.
"Appeal to @ImranKhanPTI to immediately intervene to ensure that the devotees stranded in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib are rescued and the historic Gurdwara is saved from the angry mob surrounding it," Amarinder Singh tweeted.
Imran Khan, in turn, tweeted videos which he alleged were of the "Indian police attacking Muslims". However, the videos turned out to be footage shot in 2013 in Bangladesh. The Pakistan PM later deleted the tweets.
(Inputs from agencies)
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