Panjab Administration takes over Gurdwara Akal Bunga, Sultanpur Lodhi

In the wee hours on 23 Nov, the Panjab police moved in to evict Nihangs from Gurdwara Akal Bunga directly opposite Gurdwara Ber Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi. The Gurdwara had become a cause of contention between two Nihang groups. For a while now the Gurdwara has been occupied by Buddha Dal Baba Balbir Singh with patronage from former INC MLA Navtej Singh Cheema. Recently, the Baba Mann Singh Nihang group had staked claim to the Gurdwara. In the firing that ensued during the police action, Jaspal Singh – a constable from the Home Guards – was killed, and eight people including four policemen were injured. Balwinder Singh, a cameraman from a news channel, was grievously injured. Five people have been arrested. The incident took place four days before the Guru Nanak birth anniversary on 27 Nov when an estimated million-strong crowd arrives at Sultanpur Lodhi. To ensure the celebrations proceed without hassle, after the police action, the District Commissioner held a meeting with the two Nihang factions. After a two-hour meeting, the District Commissioner informed that both the Nihangs groups would vacate the Gurdwara. Under Section 145 the state administration will take over the Gurdwara until the matter is sub-judice. The District Commissioner added, during checking of the land records, it came to fore that both the groups have illegally possessed the land, which actually belongs to Waqf board (statutory body incharge of Muslim shrines). No one knows how long the case will continue. As long as it does, because of their in-fighting, the two Nihang groups who are supposed to be guardians of the Sikh religion have ceded control of a prominent Gurdwara in a historic town associated with Guru Nanak to civil administration.