Summary
- Akal Takht Acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj condemns shelling that killed Sikh civilians and damaged a gurdwara in Poonch.
- He calls for immediate de-escalation and urges India and Pakistan to act with “wisdom, not weapons.”
- The shelling, reportedly retaliation to Operation Sindoor, has displaced hundreds and reignited civilian fears in border areas.
A Call for Restraint Amid Religious Ruins
In the wake of escalating India–Pakistan hostilities following Operation Sindoor, a voice of spiritual leadership rose from Amritsar with moral clarity. Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the Acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib—the highest temporal seat of Sikhism—issued a poignant condemnation of Pakistan’s cross-border shelling in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch that left ten civilians dead, including prominent Sikh community members, and damaged the sacred Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha. The statement, grounded in Sikh values of compassion and justice, urged both nations to pursue peace, not warfare, and highlighted the disproportionate suffering civilians endure in geopolitical power struggles.
His remarks come amid renewed civilian displacement from border regions and growing criticism that even religious sanctity is no longer a red line. Gargaj’s plea, invoking not just faith but shared humanity, disrupts the din of military and nationalist rhetoric and demands a rethink of strategy in favor of diplomacy. As tensions harden into airstrikes, blackouts, and nationalist fervor, this call for “wisdom, not weapons” raises fundamental questions about the moral compass guiding statecraft in South Asia.
He was present in the Sikh temple & talking to one of the persons barely minutes before he was killed by Pakistani shelling of Sikh shrines in Poonch. He further adds that not one but 3 Gurdwaras were targeted by 🇵🇰.
— Puneet Sahani (@puneet_sahani) May 10, 2025
Have any shame whatsoever @SGPCAmritsar?pic.twitter.com/7bW1qQlRmX
Civilian Suffering and Sacred Spaces Under Fire
- Ten civilians killed, including three Sikh men and one woman, in Pakistani shelling after Operation Sindoor.
- Gurdwara wall damaged; numerous houses burned; families displaced in Poonch and nearby areas.
- Calls for international attention to religious sites becoming collateral damage.
The Jathedar’s strongest condemnation was reserved for what he described as a “blow to humanity”—the attack on Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha. Among the dead were Bhai Amreek Singh, a kirtani; Bhai Amarjeet Singh, a soldier; and Bhai Ranjit Singh, a shopkeeper. Also killed was Bibi Ruby Kaur, a civilian woman. “Their lives should not have ended like this,” the Jathedar lamented, urging Sikh communities globally to hold ardas (prayers) and offer collective strength to the bereaved.
Beyond the Sikh victims, the shelling also forced hundreds of civilians—Hindus and Muslims alike—to flee their homes in Poonch and Rajouri districts. The gurdwara’s partial destruction strikes a deeper cultural chord, amplifying concerns that spiritual sanctuaries are increasingly vulnerable in modern conflict zones. This escalation is not just military—it is psychological, cultural, and existential for the border communities.
The Spiritual Response to a Political Crisis
- Gargaj framed war as failure and peace as moral strength, invoking Sikh teachings.
- Encouraged border residents to remain resilient and united through Gurbani and mutual support.
- Urged India and Pakistan to adopt a long-term peace ethic, not retaliatory violence.
Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj’s message didn’t stop at condemnation. It became a sermon on resilience. He invoked Sikh scripture and urged border villagers to “stay firm,” “support one another,” and “take shelter in Gurbani.” This language of spiritual solidarity contrasts sharply with the militarised vocabulary dominating Indian and Pakistani media in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
“Peace is not weakness—it is the strength we must summon,” he declared. His statement mirrors similar interventions in the past by religious leaders during the Kargil War and the 2019 Balakot strikes. However, this time, his message is more urgent, framed not only by rising civilian death tolls but by the desecration of sacred architecture.
Faith in the Line of Fire
Even as Operation Sindoor asserts India’s right to retaliate against terrorism, the fallout continues to seep into homes, shrines, and everyday rituals along the Line of Control. The spiritual weight of Giani Gargaj’s words transcends political allegiance, reminding both states that their decisions are not made in abstraction—they ripple through temples, kitchens, and communities already wearied by decades of conflict.
In an era when religious identities are often manipulated for political ends, the Jathedar’s appeal resists polarization. His insistence on dignity for the dead, sanctuary for the sacred, and peace for all sets a bar for leadership both moral and strategic. “How many more must pay for a conflict they did not create?” he asked. It’s a question not only for New Delhi and Islamabad but for all of us.
