New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday summoned the Pakistani Charge d’Affaires over the issue of desecration of the sanctity of Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur in Pakistan.
In response to media queries on the matter, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "Pakistani Charge d’Affaires was summoned today to convey our deep concern at the incident of desecration of the sanctity of Gurudwara Shri Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur by a Pakistani model and a clothing brand".
This comes a day after the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee on Monday wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, demanding him to take up with the Pakistan government the issue of a business promotion agency using the premises of Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib for promoting women's apparel.
In a picture that is doing the round on social media platform, a model can be seen posing for an ad for a women's clothing brand at the gurdwara in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
On Monday, the President of Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, "We demand strict action against those models and agencies of Pakistan who disrespect the sanctity of Sri Kartarpur Sahib. My letter to Dr S Jaishankar Ji and Sh JP Singh, Jt Sec, PAI, Min of Ext Affairs to discuss this issue with Govt of Pakistan."
Speaking further, Bagchi said it was conveyed that this reprehensible incident has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community in India and worldwide.
"Such continued incidents of desecration and disrespect of places of religious worship of the minority communities in Pakistan highlight the lack of respect for the faith of these communities", Bagchi said.
"It was further conveyed that we expect Pakistani authorities to sincerely investigate this matter and take action against those involved", he added.
The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, is believed to have spent his last days in the gurudwara from 1521 to 1539.
Read: Pakistani model 'sorry' for Kartarpur Gurdwara photoshoot
