GUWAHATI: The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) on Friday took up issue of displacement of 40 Sikh families by the Cantonment Board in Shillong in Meghalaya with Governor of Assam and Meghalaya, Banwarilal Purohit.
A Sikh delegation led by Manjinder Singh Sirsa General Secretary DSGMC met the Governor Purohit here and brought to his notice that residences of these Sikh families as well some Hindu and Christian families were demolished by the Cantonment authorities although they have been living here since last two centuries, the DSGMC informed.
The delegation also sought his intervention in the matter of demolition of Langar Hall of Gurudwara Sahib. It was also brought to his notice that they had been informed that a proposal to build shopping mall and other high-rise buildings has been mooted and authorities want to demolish Gurudwara as well as a Sikh School situated in the vicinity.
The Governor was also informed that the minority communities particularly Sikhs residing in Meghalaya had been deprived of benefits of the Central schemes meant for the minority communities as these had not been renewed or stopped for the reasons best known to the authorities. Sirsa said that such a decision was clear violation of the constitutional provision which are clear on safeguarding the interests of the minorities in the country.
The Governor Purohit gave a patient hearing to the issues raised by the delegation and immediately instructed his Principal Secretary to take up the matter with the Chief Secretary, Meghalaya. He instructed that Chief Secretary be told to issue suitable orders to reinstate families in their prior locations without any delay on humanitarian grounds.
He also asked Principal Secretary to ask Chief Secretary that no harm is caused to Gurudwara Sahib , School or any other minority institution. He also asked the Chief Secretary to ensure that no section of the society is deprived of benefit of schemes meant for minorities particularly the Sikh community.