SGPC seeks fashion designer's arrest over yoga

June 28, 2024 01:26

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday said the Amritsar Police should arrest fashion designer and lifestyle influencer Archana Makwana for 'hurting the religious sentiments' of Sikhs by performing yoga at the Golden Temple complex, hours after she asked the apex gurdwara body to withdraw its complaint against her.

The Punjab Police booked Makwana recently on a complaint filed by the SGPC.

She has been booked under Section 295A (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Makwana, however, has apologised for her actions and said she never intended to hurt anyone's religious sentiment.

On the International Day of Yoga on June 21, Makwana visited the Golden Temple and performed yoga in the 'parikrama' (circumambulation) path.

She released a video on Thursday, saying she had done no wrong and the SGPC should withdraw its complaint against her.

Meanwhile, the SGPC on Thursday said the Amritsar Police should arrest Makwana 'to unearth the anti-Sikh nefarious design under which she seems to have been working and her case be decided in the court of law'.

In a statement, an SGPC spokesperson said in her latest video, Makwana has claimed that no 'maryada'-related guidelines have been displayed by the Golden Temple management, while the fact is that a large screen is installed at the clock tower entrance gate through which she entered the complex.

"She is claiming that nobody stopped her from making videos or clicking photos, while the fact is that she was stopped at the entry gate on June 21 by the on-duty sewadar (volunteer) when she was filming her entry on a mobile phone, washing her feet in the 'Charan Ganga' (foot-washing area)," the SGPC said.

Makwana did not even pay obeisance at the Golden Temple or any Gurdwara Sahib inside the complex on June 21, the SGPC spokesperson claimed.

"Archana visited Sri Harmandar Sahib on June 20 as well, when she paid obeisance and did some 'sewa', but that does not give her the liberty to come the next day and violate the 'maryada' (conduct)," the SGPC said.

"On June 20, Archana was provided all possible guidance as sought by the staff of Darbar Sahib, but on June 21, she did not feel it necessary to seek any guidance and did an objectionable act inside the complex," the apex gurdwara body alleged.

In the video released on Thursday, Makwana said, "My intention was not bad. The FIR filed against me by the SGPC is baseless. It was not written anywhere in the temple that such acts are not allowed. I went there for the first time. Had I been told, I would have deleted those photos right away. I want the SGPC to withdraw its FIR or else, my legal team and I are ready to fight this case." -- PTI

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