Headlines
Vandals deface Glasgow gurdwara with Islamophobic graffiti
Glasgow, April 13
A gurdwara in the largest
city of Scotland has been defaced by vandals with the words "No Shariah"
and a Nazi symbol, a media report said on Monday.
The Central
Gurdwara near Charing Cross in Glasgow was defaced with the Islamophobic
slurs last week, the Herald Scotland reported, adding the police have
launched a manhunt for the vandals responsible for it.
"The Sikh
community completely abhors the hateful ideology of Islamophobia. We are
in complete shock that such disgraceful words were put on the walls of
this great gurdwara," said Surjit Singh Chowdhary, vice-president of the
Central Gurdwara Singh Sabha.
"These words represent ignorance
at its worst. Unfortunately in this climate of rampant Islamophobia,
members of the Sikh community have fallen victim too," said Charandeep
Singh, general secretary of the Glasgow Gurdwara.
Scottish
Labour leader Jim Murphy has urged the members of the public with
information to come forward. "The Sikh community is a vital part of
Scotland. It's shameful that the iconic Gurdwara has been vandalised.
Call the police if you have info," he said on Twitter.
Instances
ranging from jeers of "Taliban" or "Bin Laden" directed at
turban-wearing Sikh men, to the firebombing of a gurdwara in Kent after
the 7/7 London terrorist attacks have beset the Sikh community,
Charandeep Singh said.
He added that the Sikh community would
continue to have dialogue with the police, local and national
politicians "to create an inclusive society and celebrate the
contributions made by Scottish Sikhs to our country".