Volunteers protest, appeal to save heritage monuments in Punjab

Fatehgarh Sahib, Dec 29

In an impassioned appeal, following a peaceful protest outside the ruins of Bhai Todar Mal’s dilapidated Jahaz-Haveli, members of the culture and heritage conservation initiative urged the Sikh community around the world to come together to conserve their heritage.

They asked the reason behind the utter neglect of the government towards the historical monuments, forts and buildings of the Punjabi civilisation, especially of the Sikh community. They said that these priceless monuments were being destroyed, owing to a lack of maintenance. They demanded that the responsibility of the maintenance of these buildings be entrusted to the Sikh community.

Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa, bholeke sangat-sewa samparda, said these historic monuments were milestones in the path of truth preached by Guru Baba Nanak and a source of inspiration for the coming generations. He also appealed to the government to hand over Sikh heritage sites to the Sikh community for conservation, following a similar model as the Waqf Board.