Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj on Sunday appealed for peace and unity following a controversy in Himachal Pradesh, where flags featuring the image of slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were removed from bikes of Punjab youths. Gargaj urged people to maintain harmony and called for intervention by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu to ensure law and order.
His appeal came after a group of 20 students and teachers, who were touring Punjab, met him at the Golden Temple. The group shared concerns that their relatives had discouraged them from traveling to Punjab due to fears over the law and order situation. Gargaj reassured them, emphasizing that Punjab is a land of Gurus, and there was no need for fear. He quoted the opening verse of the Guru Granth Sahib, saying that Sikh philosophy promotes peace, well-being, and the absence of hatred.
The controversy began when some Himachal Pradesh residents, in the presence of police, removed the flags from vehicles of Punjab tourists. Gargaj urged the Himachal administration to ensure that visitors, particularly those on pilgrimage, are treated with respect and that such incidents do not recur.
In a related development, Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar confirmed that police had significant leads regarding the vandalism of five Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses, which were allegedly damaged by Khalistan sympathizers in Amritsar on Friday night. He expressed hope for a positive resolution to the investigation.
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