Gurdwaras reopen early to mark gurpurb, Bluestar anniv

WHILE RELIGIOUS PLACES CAN REOPEN ONLY ON JUNE 8, DEVOTEES VISITED GURDWARAS WITHOUT MASKS; LANGARS ALSO HELD

CHANDIGARH : Even as the UT administration has allowed religious institutions to reopen only on June 8, various gurdwaras in the city opened their doors on Saturday to celebrate Guru Hargobind’s 425th birth anniversary and mark the 36th anniversary of Operation Bluestar.

As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for religious places released by the health department on Friday, religious places can reopen only on June 8.

All gurdwaras, temples, churches and mosques have remained closed since the curfew was imposed in the city on March 24, and any type of religious function and gathering was also banned.

On Saturday morning, several devotees stepped inside the Sector 35 gurdwara, many of them without face masks, made mandatory in public places by the district magistrate. Community lunch was also being served here, and also at the Sector 38 and Sector 44 gurdwaras.

However, Amarjeet Singh Silvia, vice-president of the Sector 35 gurdwara committee, denied that any religious function took place there. The Chandigarh Samuh Gurdwara Prabandhak Sangathan confirmed that some gurdwaras were open. Its president, Tara Singh said, “A call was given by Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to celebrate Gurpurb on Saturday. The prayers were completed by 9am at most places and only small langars were prepared.”

Deputy superintendent of police (DSP, PRO) Charanjit Singh Virk said, “The respective gurdwara committees informed the police that no langar or function was organised except for the ones that the administration had allowed. Cops were also deployed at gurdwaras, Virk said.

UT adviser Manoj Parida was unavailable for a comment.