Offensive photo shoot at Kartarpur annoys Sikh community
Darpan News Desk IANS, 29 Nov, 2021 12:34 PM
New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) A clothing brand recently came under fire after an alleged photo shoot at the Kartarpur Gurdwara in Pakistan. In the shoot, a Lahore-based model can be seen bareheaded, posing for the camera, compromising the sanctity of the place, Express Tribune reported.
Pakistan Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and members of the Sikh community expressed annoyance over the fashion photoshoot at the Kartarpur shrine, Pakistan Observer reported.
Chaudhry slammed the designer and the model for the photoshoot.
"The Designer and the model must apologise to Sikh Community #KartarPurSahib is a religious symbol and not a Film set," he wrote on Twitter.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management committee, also condemned the act, calling it "desecration".
"Pakistan court issued arrest warrant of star who did dance video at Mosque; same must be done against this woman from Lahore as an example of treating all religion at par."
"Otherwise, any talk of respect for Sikhism is hollow," he said.
In another tweet, Sirsa commented: "Such behaviour and act at the pious place of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is totally unacceptable! Can she dare to do the same at her religious place in Pakistan? Imran Khan and the government of Pakistan should take immediate action to stop this trend of treating Sri Kartarpur Sahib as a picnic spot by Pakistani people."
Meanwhile, the clothing brand, Mannat, has issued a clarification on the matter. The Instagram page has since removed the controversial posts and released a statement, the report said.
"The pictures posted on our accounts are NOT part of any shoot done by Mannat Clothing. These pictures were provided to us by a third-party (blogger) in which they were wearing our dress. Please note that Mannat has absolutely NO role in deciding how and where the pictures were taken," the statement read.
"However, we accept our mistake that we should not have posted this content and we apologise to every single person who was offended by this. All the holy places are very sacred to us."
"The pictures and posts have been removed from all our media channels. Again, we apologise wholeheartedly for hurting the public sentiment. Believe us when we say we had no such intention."
On the other hand, Pakistan Punjab Police in a statement said that they are investigating all aspects related to this incident and strict legal action will be taken against those responsible.
"Management of the concerned brand & model are being investigated. Worship places of all religions are equally respectable," reads the statement, as per the report.
The victim, who was identified as Sandeep Bhati, was in his Hyundai Verna along with three friends when the incident took place around 5 a.m., according to the police. He is learnt to be critical and undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Noida.
Sportspersons performing well in the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as World Cup tournaments, will be recruited in various departments under the sports quota, following amendment to Rule 3 of the Punjab Recruitment of Sportsmen Rules, 1988, through insertion of Rule 3-A.
After the meeting of Rahul Gandhi with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and T.S. Singh Deo, it is widely expected that the state could see a minor portfolio reshuffle. Singh Deo may be given more importance in the cabinet and it's likely he may be allotted a portfolio soon. Currently he holds the health portfolio.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he will invite Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Punjab Governor V.P. Badnore and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as guests at the special session.
Chidambaram was addressing a press conference at the fag-end of his two-day visit to the state in the capacity as the All India Congress Committee's senior observer in charge of Goa ahead of the 2022 state assembly polls.
Punjab annually generates 20 million tonnes of paddy straw and this is normally set on fire to quickly clear the fields for the next crop, resulting in choking of the National Capital Region (NCR) in October and November.
