MEA hoarding courts controversy

AMRITSAR: Image of the Golden Temple, along with a dancing man and woman on hoardings installed by the Union ministry of external affairs (MEA) to welcome foreign dignitaries attending the Heart of Asia conference in Amritsar has courted controversy.

Condemning the move, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar said: “The Union ministry has hurt the sentiments of devotees by installing the hoarding showing a dancing man and woman alongside the image of the Golden Temple.”

“Sikhs around the world have expressed their displeasure over the hoardings as its images have gone viral on the social media,” said Badungar, adding the SGPC would write to the ministry to remove hoardings.

However, the SGPC reaction came when the conference was over and all dignitaries had left the holy city.

HT PHOTO The controversial MEA hoarding consists of an image of the Golden Temple with caricatures of folk dancers on either side.