Senior Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed profound sorrow on Wednesday regarding the government\’s proposed auction of the Golden Temple model that was gifted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Strongly opposing this move, Badal stressed that auctioning this \”sacred symbol of the gift and blessings of the Akal Purakh and the Guru Sahibs\” would be highly disrespectful.
Through a message shared on social media (formerly Twitter), the former Union minister expressed his apprehension that such an action would deeply wound the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. The replica of the Golden Temple was originally presented by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
The government\’s e-auction of gifts received by Prime Minister Modi commenced on October 2 and is scheduled to run until October 31. The model of the Golden Temple has been included in the fifth installment of this auction, along with over 900 other keepsakes. The proceeds from the auction will contribute to the government\’s \”Namami Gange\” initiative, which aims to revitalize the Ganga River.
Among the items listed for auction are a statue of Lord Laxmi Narayan Vitthal and goddess Rukmini, replicas of Gujarat\’s Sun Temple, Chittorgarh\’s Vijay Stambh, and a painting of Banaras Ghat created by the renowned artist Paresh Maity.
Previously, Prime Minister Modi had announced the exhibition of these objects on social media, underscoring their significance as a testament to India\’s rich culture, traditions, and artistic heritage.
Badal emphasized that the model was presented to Prime Minister Modi as a sacred symbol representing the gift and blessings of the Akal Purakh and the Guru Sahibs. He urged the Prime Minister to reconsider the auction and instead transfer the model to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
