Farmers Movement Archive

{Lakhbir’s killing at Singhu border} Sampla writes to Akal Takht, seeks ‘bhog’ as per Sikh code

Chandigarh The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairman Vijay Sampla on Monday wrote a letter to the acting jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Harpreet Singh, requesting him that the bhog of Lakhbir Singh, the lynching victim on the Singhu border last week, was performed as per the Sikh Rehat Maryada (Sikh code of conduct). “You must be aware of the brutal murder of Lakhbir Singh, a Scheduled Caste Sikh from Punjab, at the farmers’ protest site at Singhu near the Delhi-Haryana border. You must have also got the information that some people, especially the members of Satkar committee, objected to the victim’s cremation as per Sikh rituals, citing the sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib,” the letter says.It adds, “In a viral video, culprits and other people can be seen saying that Lakhbir had disrespected the Sikh holy book but in reality, no video has surfaced on social media or from news organisations which can prove that Lakhbir committed sacrilege.” Sampla adds that statements given by farmer organisations or the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) indicate that the victim was found with Sarbloh Granth rather than Sri Guru Granth Sahib. “We firmly believe that SC Lakhbir should not be stated as guilty until the police investigation proves the same,” the letter says, adding that in recent times, a large number of SC Sikhs had been targeted and converted by missionaries and institutions and the process was on. He added that incidents like Lakhbir’s murder and objections to his cremation would only speed up the conversion drive.

Hindustan Times

19-10-2021

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