WSN-Core-Religion-Local tough in Jhansi wants to demolish gurdwara, raise hotel

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Local tough in Jhansi wants to demolish gurdwara, raise hotel
Sikh community is in a rage, FIR lodged
WSN Bureau

JHANSI: The Sikh community here is in a rage after a local toughman Mangal Sen snatched away the golak money, used abusive language, called Guru Granth Sahib a ‘pustaq’ (book), tried to remove Nishan Sahib and then made clear his intentions of wiping out the decades old gurdwara and instead raising a swank hotel in the heart of this historic city of Uttar Pradesh.

The Shri Guru Nanak Darbar, Jhansi, which was raised by Lala Harnam Das Ji, in 1964, has been run ever since as per the Sikh maryada, and the parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is done daily and sangat recites the banis of ‘Nitnem’ everyday, followed by kirtan, ardas and the distribution of Karah Prashad. All gurpurabs are celebrated in the gurdwara and there has not been any dispute.

But of late, Mangal Sen, a grand son of Lala Harnam Das, refused to respect the power of attorney. The PoA entrusted the eldest son in the family to manage the trust, and as per it, Boota Singh, the eldest grandson, was to manage the shrine. Since he stays in England, he transferred the PoA to his younger brother Kishan Lal but Mangal Sen refused to recognize it and is adamant on wiping out the gurdwara.

Members of the sangat told the WSN that Mangal Sen has already made his nefarious intentions clear. Some members of the sangat have already made video recordings of him declaring his objectives, and registered an FIR with the police under sections 153-A of the IPC (setting one class of people against another). It seems that some elements in the police are hand in glove with the accused since the gurdwara is being viewed as a prime property.

Mangal Sen has been embroiled in various cases earlier too.

The Sikh community has demanded immediate action against Mangal Sen and a guarantee that the decades old gurdwara shall not be touched. It has also argued that the Power of Attorney entrusts anyone to “manage” the gurdwara and thus does not make him an “owner” of the gurdwara which truly belongs to the collective of the sangat.