Undeterred by the objection raised by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has decided to go-ahead with the construction of constructing the Memorial inside Gurudwara Rakabganj Sahib complex.
Shiromani Akali Dal-led DSGMC is determined to proceed with its scheduled programme of laying the foundation of the memorial on June 12 -Tuesday.
Raising objections over the construction of 1984 Sikh Genocide Memorial inside Gurudwara Rakab Ganj in the national capital, the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has issued a notice.
The corporation pasted the notice on the Gurdwara complex gate, opposite the Parliament House, objecting over four feet high brick platform constructed to be unveiled on June 12 as foundation stone of the memorial.
DSGMC is erecting the Memorial dedicating the same to those who lost their lives in Sikh carnage in November 1984. The objection raised by the NDMC has evoked a sharp reaction from SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar, who has alleged that no one but the Congress party was behind the notice. He termed it as ‘yet another move by the Congress to throttle the voice of the Sikhs.’
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has said that DSGMC was well within its right to construct the proposed memorial inside Gurudwara Rakabganj Sahib complex as long as it did not violate building by-laws. Delhi government is learnt to have asked the NDMC to keep the Union Home Ministry informed of all developments relating to the issue.
The foundation laying ceremony slated for Tuesday is expected to be attended by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal, BJP National President Rajnath Singh, leader of the opposition in lok Sabha and senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj and CPM leader Brinda Karat, besides a host of SAD and Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) leaders from Punjab.