The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday confirmed that India has addressed the issue of the seizure of two sacred 'swaroops' of Guru Granth Sahib by police in Doha, Qatar. Responding to media inquiries, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "We have noted the reports about the seizure of Guru Granth Sahib by Qatari authorities and the Sikh community's call for their release. The government has already engaged with Qatar on this issue, and our Embassy in Doha has been updating the Sikh community on the progress."
Jaiswal clarified that the Qatari authorities confiscated the two 'swaroops' from individuals or groups accused of operating a religious institution without official approval. He added, "Our Embassy provided all possible support within the framework of local laws and regulations." One 'swaroop' of the holy book has been returned by the Qatari authorities, with assurances that the other will be treated with respect.
Jaiswal emphasized that "we are continuing to pursue this matter with high priority and hope for a swift resolution." Meanwhile, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Indian Ambassador to Qatar to intervene immediately. Dhami, in a post on X, expressed that "holding the holy scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib in police custody is a grave disrespect and cannot be tolerated." This issue was recently brought to the attention of Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib by a UK-based Sikh organization, which directed SGPC to address it.
Bathinda parliamentarian Harsimrat Kaur Badal has also appealed to the External Affairs Minister to facilitate the establishment of gurdwaras for Sikhs in Qatar, allowing them to practice their religion freely. Badal, in a post on X, stated, "I have appealed to Dr S Jaishankar to secure the release of the two 'swaroops' of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji from police custody in Qatar. I informed him that the Sikh community in Qatar is deeply distressed that Sri Guru Granth Sahib, revered as the living Guru, has been treated as case property." Badal also requested the minister to urgently intervene and advocate for the establishment of gurdwaras in Qatar.
