Hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the efforts being made by a Buddhist sect to convert Gurdwara Gurudongmar into a Buddhist monastery, the Sikkim High Court today ordered status quo till 6 October 2017. 

The Sikkim High Court hearing a bunch of petitions by Sri Guru Singh Sabha Siliguri, acting on behalf of the SGPC and Amritpal Singh Khalsa Advocate and social activist Ajmer Singh Randhawa, in the case of attempted usurpation of historic Gurdwara Sahib Gurudongmar, Sikkim by a Buddhist sect, ordered a status quo for two weeks restraining both the Sikhs and the Buddhists from worshipping at the place till 6 October 2017, enabling the two sides to take necessary steps in the matter.

Ready to go into the merits of the case with full evidence, historian and authority on Gurdwara Gurudongmar -Col Dr. Dalvinder Singh Grewal, petitioners Amritpal Singh Khalsa and Ajmer Singh Randhawa and others were present in court. Sub divisional magistrate Sonam Tapgi Taahe was also present in the High Court.

Rupinder Singh of Sri Guru Singh Sabha Siliguri has been extremely helpful to all petitioners and ably coordinated all efforts, whereas the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee also assisted the petitioners.

Petitioner Amritpal Singh Khalsa from Mumbai, who was given the right to be impleaded by the Supreme Court of India, where he had petitioned in the said case two weeks ago, also pleaded the Sikkim High Court to grant the right to visit the Gurdwara Sahib as the permission to visit the historic site had been refused on two earlier occasions to worshippers as well as members of the SGPC. After an undertaking from the petitioner that they will not make any changes at the site, Chief Justice Satish Agnihotri of the Sikkim High Court granted permission to visit the site and directed the State counsel to make arrangements to allow the petitioner and other members of the delegation who are in Sikkim.

Speaking exclusively to World Sikh News prior to the hearing, Col Grewal told us that, “we have enough historic material to prove our case.”

Sri Guru Singh Sabha was represented by counsels Navin Barik, Sandip Majumdar and Deepu Prasad, while the State of Sikkim was represented by Additional Advocate General Mr. Karma Thinlay with Mr. Santosh Kr. Chettri, Ms. Pollin Rai and Ms. Sendenia Bhutia. The Buddhist Dsumza were represented by Ms. Panila Theengh and Ms. Tashi Doma Sherpa.

 If you like our stories, do follow WSN on Facebook.

Amritpal Singh Khalsa said that he will let the Sikh community know the latest situation in Gurdwara Gurudongmar after a visit there tomorrow.

Although the Chief Justice had given verbal orders permitting Amritpal Singh Khalsa to go to Gurdwara Gurudongmar, the deputy commissioner of North Sikkim District, Dr. Karma Bonpo has sought 6 days, citing security reasons, effectively defeating the order of the Chief Justice.⁠⁠⁠⁠