Biggest gurdwara in North America says Indian officials are welcome

AMRITSAR: Nearly a month after a group of gurdwaras in the US banned the entry of Indian government officials on January 6, the management committee of the largest gurdwara in North America, California-based San Jose gurdwara, has said its doors were open to Indian officials and people of all faiths.
The move comes close on the heels of a section of Sikhs in the UK distancing themselves from the decision of few gurdwara management committees to ban the entry of Indian diplomats.The US-based chairperson of Punjab Foundation, Sukhi Chahal, told TOI on Wednesday that the gurdwara management committee did not give its consent to the ban.
Sukhi sent a letter signed by Bhupinder (Bob) Singh Dhillon, president the San Jose gurdwara, dated February 11 wherein he had stated: “This is to clarify to everyone that San Jose Gurdwara Sahib is open to all who wish to visit gurdwara consistent with the mainstream Sikh philosophy. Propaganda by some party that 96 gurdwaras jointly passed a resolution to ban entry of Indian government officials and implying by publishing unauthorized photo of San Jose gurdwara was part of the group passing such a resolution. We strongly condemn such false propaganda. We have no part in such activity. (Sic)”
On January 6, a section of US gurdwara management committees though a joint teleconference had adopted a resolution on banning the entry of Indian government officials in Sikh places of worship and their participation in nagar kirtans.
In recent past, Charan Kanwal Singh Sekhon, member of Sharnbrok Council, UK, who is also a committee member of the Bedford gurdwara, had stated that Gurdwara of Beford and many other gurdwaras were not part of the ban imposed by a section of Sikh gurdwara managements in UK. “The decision of some radical organizations that Indian government officials and any person representing the interests of the Indian government will not be allowed to enter US gurdwaras or to participate in any religious programs is deeply concerning, unfortunate and not in the favour of the Sikh diaspora. As a Sikh, I strongly denounce this diktat,” said Sukhi.