Nabin Praises Sikhs in Uttarakhand; ‘Wadda Gurdwara Sahib’ Re-Opens in Malaysia

September

2026

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Nabin led an event in Uttarakhand to honor the contributions of Panjabis and Sikhs in the election-bound state. During his two-day visit to the state on 9–10 Sep, Nabin attended the Punjabi Gaurav Sammelan in Rudrapur. A BJP statement said: ‘The event will celebrate the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Punjabi community while acknowledging its distinctive contributions to the social, economic, and cultural development of Uttarakhand.’ Sikhs constitute just 2.34% of Uttarakhand’s population, but have significant electoral influence in as many as nine Assembly constituencies in Udham Singh Nagar, where 180K of the state’s nearly 250K Sikhs reside. However, it remains to be seen whether Nabin will promise to help the Sikh community build the Gyan Godri Sahib Gurdwara at Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar where land was identified with the support of the National Commission for Minorities in 2003. The Gurdwara was obliterated during the 1984 Sikh genocide. BJP’s aim is Sikh outreach—not just in Uttarakhand but also in Panjab, where Assembly polls are due in 2027. Meanwhile, the 125-year-old Wadda Gurdwara Sahib in Penang, Malaysia, reopened on 12 Sep after conservation and restoration work preserving the building’s original heritage appearance. The opening coincided with the Gurdwara’s 125^th anniversary of its establishment in 1901 and the first Prakash Purab (enshrinement) of Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scripture and charter) performed by Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne) Jathedar (leader), Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj. Speaking at the function, Giani Gargajj stressed the need to preserve Sikh heritage sites everywhere under expert supervision. Wadda Gurdwara Sahib is a Category One heritage building within the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site and an enduring symbol of Penang’s multicultural heritage. The founder and chairman of SUNWAY Group—a leading real estate conglomerate in Malaysia—Tan Sri Sir Dr. Jeffrey Cheah donated USD 245,881 to help complete the Gurdwara's restoration. Gurdwara chairman Datuk Santok Singh said restoration work involved a team of seven specialist artisans from Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, who worked on the decorative and detailed sculpture work. Concurrently, members of the Sikh community came forward to support repairs to the historic Jama Masjid in Hisar, Haryana. The 200-year-old mosque needed repairs, and Sikh-led multi-religious people contributed to raise funds for preservation and restoration (earlier coverage).