Flag of Gurdwara in the vicinity of the White House stolen.
18th October, 2011, New York - National Gurdwara, Washington DC situated in close proximity of the White House, the seat of American power is once again in news, this time for a strange tragic incident.
Last Wednesday night some vandals very meticulously removed and took away the Sikh flag always hoisting on a mast. Pal of gloom has descended on the community because no body can think a safer and secured place than the site of the Gurdwara. Back home the news of sacrileges to the Gurdwaras and other religious places were heard, but in America that too an incident of this nature is not palatable. The news itself is of grave concern since the National Gurdwara sits very close to the White House, National Memorial, Indian Consulate and other very important offices and buildings. From the point of view of security it is considered to be most secured and sensitive area.
Not only because of its location but the National Gurdwara also has an imposing building and caters to the local congregation for sermons besides contributing positively to the needs of the local students and tourists. The Gurdwara and its congregation also provided much needed solace and companionship to the local people during observances of the Nine Eleven. The Gurdwara also acts as an information centre.
In India the gurdwaras or other religious places are primary raised with the public or individual contributions. However, in USA it is not an uncommon practice to raise loans from banks and other financial institutions for construction or acquisition of gurdwaras. This National Gurdwara is no exception too. As per the official website of the Gurdwara it has a huge mortgage debt of one and half million dollars. Constant fear of foreclosure by banks is not unfounded. Under the circumstances, the managing committee of the Gurdwara had approached SGPC, the apex body, to help salvage it out of the situation. Even after lapse of considerable time nothing substantial could be done.
While Gurdwara was trying to wriggle out of financial conundrum the sacrilegious incident of vandalisation of the Nishan Sahib, standard of the community has added to the woes and has anguished one and all. However, management has so far not formally informed the police about the incident.
S. Bakhshish Singh, President of the National Gurdwara managing committee said the incident is not only painful but is a matter of grave concern too. Even in the wildest dreams this tipe of incident in this area was beyond imagination. He called upon the police to take action against the culprits and bring them to justice.
Another community leader S. Gurmit Singh Bedi of Charlotte who was mediating between SGPC and Washington Gurdwara was pained to note that as turban is to a Sikh, the Nishan Sahib or the Sikhs flag is to every gurdwara. No one can imagine a gurdwara without this traditional flag and said we rather bow to the flag. He called upon SGPC to take up this issue with the US Embassy in Delhi for appropriate action. However, the local diaspora is deeply concerned about the future of this important Gurdwara situated at an utmost prime location.
GURCHARANJIT SINGH LAMBA
Phone: +1 973 699 0950. +1 201 998 3978.
+ 201 283 0636.