Indian State officials destroy Sikh homes and langar hall

A demolition squad acting under orders from Uttar Pradesh state officials destroyed a langar hall (Sikh communal kitchen) and the homes of approximately 50 Sikh families without their consent.

The reasons behind the destruction of the homes – carried out on 6th June in Gagan Manoharpur village near Moradabad where generations of Sikhs had lived for nearly 50 years – currently remain unclear but are believed to be linked to hostility around the Sikh claim to the land.

The Sikhs whose homes were destroyed have documents which prove a panchayat (village meeting) agreed to give the land to a local Sikh man called Gagan Singh in 1973. Subsequently, a Gurdwara, langar hall and homes for dozens of families were built there, housing generations and also helping to feed countless locals too through seva (selfless service) from the Sikh community.

As of yet there has been no official statement from Uttar Pradesh (UP) authorities on the destruction, but locals reported the demolition squad said they were acting under orders from the state, as would be necessary for such an act. UP is under governance of notorious fanatical Hindu nationalist Yogi Adityanath of the BJP, Narendra Modi’s in-power party. Experts on Indian communal politics have suggested to Sikh PA the demolition is likely to be anti-Sikh Hindu nationalists using Adityanath’s callous treatment of minorities to takeover the Sikh land. Adityanath’s reign has also overseen recent demolition of the homes of Muslims that have been linked with speaking out against India’s current regime of bigotry.

Some original posts on this issue reported the Gurdwara connected to the langar hall was also destroyed. It is now believed this is inaccurate. However, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC- national Gurdwara body of India) have still intervened, releasing a statement saying “action” needs to be taken against those that destroyed the homes and “compensation” must be given to the family by the UP government.

Due to the nature of India’s corrupt legal structures, clarification on why the homes were destroyed and an appropriate compensation package for the families is unlikely any time soon. Meanwhile it is believed the Sikh families, which includes children, have been forced to seek shelter in local Sikh spaces.