Amritsar: A group of Sikhs have taken to the roads to generate awareness among people who, they feel, inadvertently show disrespect to verses of Gurbani and the Sikh religious symbol Ik Onkar, by inscribing these on their vehicles in violation of the directions of the Akal Takht.
A Times of India (TOI) news says Baldev Singh MA, president, Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Shiromani Dhadi Jatha, said he, along with his colleagues, equipped with paint brushes and adhesive tapes stand on the main highways, urging people to stop their vehicles and informing them about the directions of Akal Takht.
“Most people express ignorance about them showing disrespect to the Gurbani but when we explain that dust or bird droppings falling on the holy verses and Ik Onkar not being written properly amounts to desecration, they understand and agree to get these removed ,” said Baldev Singh, adding that the verses written with stickers were removed using adhesive tape.
About a year ago, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh held a meeting with four Sikh [Jathedars] and issued directions not to write verses of the Gurbani on vehicles or print these on newspapers or advertisements, reads TOI news.
“We were not aware of such directions. It is good that the ‘jatha (group) is telling us not show disrespect to our religious symbols. We will be more careful in future,” said Swaran Singh, a truck driver who recently got religious verses removed by the group.
Baldev said he was moved to see that the directions of Akal Takht were not being followed so he decided to initiate the campaign.
