Mumtaz Alam | India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI, MARCH 26—Strongly condemning the dastardly attack on a Sikh Gurudwara in Afghanistan capital Kabul on Wednesday resulting into the killing of about 25 innocent Sikhs, leaders belonging to Muslim, Sikh and Christian community expressed their sympathy with the victim families and the entire Sikh community and demanded independent probe into the attack to bring out the truth behind the gory crime.
Reacting to the incident, Syed Sadatullah Hussaini, National President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, India’s largest Muslim socio-cultural organisation, said, “We are extremely saddened by the brutal attack on the Sikh community in Kabul, Afghanistan. Violence is the weapon of those who are weak. These types of attacks are an open violation of human rights and international humanitarian law and deserve maximum condemnation. Those who are behind this attack must be brought to justice and deserve strict punishment.”
Jamaat leader further said, “The targeting of religious minorities must end immediately. The Afghan government must ensure the security of the Sikh community that has played a stellar role in the building of Afghanistan. They are at the forefront of relief and rehabilitation activities all over the world in times of national calamities and injustice perpetrated on innocent people. We hope the Afghan people will defeat the nefarious design of those who committed this deplorable act. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind along with the Muslim community of India stands shoulder to shoulder with their Sikh brothers and sisters in their hour of grief. We extend our condolences to the families of those who died in this attack and pray for the speedy recovery of those who are injured.”
Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind (Arshad Madani group) president Maulana Syed Arshad Madani said: “We condemn the attack. Taliban has also condemned this attack. Meanwhile, Daish (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attack. We are of the view that every minority in every country should be ensured justice. Sikhs are a minority in Afghanistan as we Muslims are in India. Whoever have done this attack, they are condemnable.”
Talking to India Tomorrow, he further said: “In India, as a minority we Muslims have very cordial relations with our Sikh minority. There was no fight with Sikh in Afghanistan. Rather, they are very peaceful community. The attackers have committed a very wrong thing. We will oppose and condemn wherever any minority is oppressed.”
Demanding an in-depth probe into the attack, India’s prominent Sikh leader Paramjit Singh Sarna, President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi), said, “What happened yesterday was completely unexpected for us. When America, Afghanistan and Taliban have signed a peace pact, such attack on people is an act of cowardice. Two months back, Sikhs were helping each and every person in Syria and Lebanon, held ‘langars’ and ensured free food to people whether they were Syrians, Iraqis, Turks or Lebanese, Shias or Sunnis. Now such attack in Kabul is really condemnable and painful,” said Sarna, while talking to India Tomorrow.
Demanding “full probe into the attack to find out the forces who were behind this attack”, the Sikh leader said, “US, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India should jointly probe the incident and culprits should be exposed to the world. Only then will we feel relieved”.
The Sikh leader also condemned the remarks of Delhi Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (DGPC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa, linking the Kabul attack with the anti-Muslim violence in northeast Delhi recently.
“I reject the remarks of Sirsa, saying the attack was carried out in Kabul to avenge the atrocities on Muslims in Delhi. He has no understanding of the issue. I think he has no understanding of the issue. Sikhs have good and harmonious relations with all religious communities. I cannot accept his remarks,” said Sarna.
Christian leader Dr John Dayal also joined to condemn the attack in Kabul. He said: “The All India Catholic Union and Christian community condemn this dastardly attack on a place of worship and refuge where large number of religious minorities particularly Sikh community had congregated. This takes place at a time when the entire world has been in lockdown because of Coronavirus and where Muslim institutions are in the forefront of sending help and relief. This is particularly heinous. We hope the government will take care of victims. Muslim organizations elsewhere in the world were very active in relief and rehabilitation and here, some are killing people.”
Condemning the Kabul attack, Imam of Shahi Fatehpuri Masjid, Maulana Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, also demanded strong action against the culprits. “Islam grants right to everyone to worship as per his/her belief,” said Maulana.
Delhi Minority Commission Chairman and Islamic scholar Dr Zafarul Islam Khan slammed the attack as “un-Islamic” and sought stringent action against the culprits.
“It is really painful that some mad people have taken birth in the Muslim community who are not only doing wrong and un-Islamic acts but also creating troubles for Muslims in the world. They are mad people and they are more dangerous than Coronavirus and this virus should be eliminated,” said Dr Khan.
All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat President Navaid Hamid, while expressing condolences with the family of the victims, said, “My heart weeps to see the video of the blood of peaceful Sikh worshipers killed by terrorists in Kabul Gurdwara being washed away. These terrorists are followers of Satan; have nothing to do with Islam & are indeed against human values.”
Indians Living Abroad Also Condemn Kabul Gurudwara Attack:
Several Indian individuals and groups comprising people of Indian origin have also strongly condemned the attack.
“I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on Gurudwara and killing of 22 innocent people in Kabul. This is not Islam; rather it is a grave violation of Islamic teachings of peace, friendship and amity. They have committed a grave crime against humanity and they should severely be dealt with and brought to justice,” said Abdul Haseeb Ansari, former professor at International Islamic University, Kualalumpur, Malaysia.
The Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA), a coalition of Indian American civil rights organizations in the U.S., has condemned the attack.
“This reprehensible violence violates the basic tenets of Islam and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” Ahsan Khan, President of Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a constituent organization of AJA, said. “Our prayers are with the families of the victims.”
“The targeting of religious minorities for mass violence must end immediately,” said Thenmozhi Soundararajan of Equality labs expressing solidarity with the global Sikh community. “This is a time for all of us to come together collectively to overcome the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
IAMC president Ahsan Khan asked the Afghan government to provide security for all religious minorities in the country.
“It is imperative that the Afghanistan government immediately provide and strengthen the security for all religious minorities and their places of worship in that country,” IAMC’s Ahsan Khan said. “Any loss of innocent lives is unacceptable,” Khan added.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs also condemned the attack.
