New Delhi, January 4: A day after a mob pelted stones at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday condemned the attack. Gandhi asked the Narendra Modi government to immediately take the issue with Pakistan to ensure the security of pilgrims. The Congress president also demanded that the Centre should ask Pakistan to provide adequate security to holy shrines. Nankana Sahib Gurdwara Attacked in Pakistan: Muslim Delegation Meets Sikhs at Shrine, Condemns Mob Attack.

The Congress issued a statement on behalf of Gandhi. In the statement, the grand old party said, “Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi has condemned the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan by an unruly mob of miscreants.” The statement added, “Expressing dismay and concern on the safety of Sikh pilgrims and the employees, she called upon the Government to immediately take up the issue with Pakistan authorities.”

Congress's Statement:

Earlier in the day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had attacked the Congress "for being silent" on the issue. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, BJP lawmaker Meenakshi Lekhi targetted Congress leader and former Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for not condemning the attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Badal had also lashed out at the Congress for not saying anything on the issue. However, moments after her tweet, Rahul Gandhi condemned the attack. He tweeted, “The attack on Nankana Sahab is reprehensible & must be condemned unequivocally. Bigotry is a dangerous, age-old poison that knows no borders. Love + Mutual Respect + Understanding is its only known antidote (sic)." Nankana Sahib is the birth place of the first guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 04, 2020 09:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).