Sukhbir Singh Badal condemns explosion at gurudwara in Germany

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today condemned the explosion at a gurudwara in Germany's western city of Essen and urged External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to take up the issue of safety of Sikhs and their religious places with the German government.

"The news of a bomb attack on a Gurudwara in Essen in Germany called for concerted efforts to sensitize people across the world about Sikh religion and its unique concepts of peace and universal brotherhood," Sukhbir, who is also president of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), said.

He appealed to all Sikhs, particularly Gurudwara management Committees in various countries, including SGPC and DSGMC, to launch an awareness campaign in this regard.

Badal said the Centre should also ask its embassy in Germany to provide immediate aid to the injured as well as work with the local Sikh community to help rebuild the Sikh shrine.

A Sikh priest was among three persons injured when an explosion ripped through a gurudwara in Essen.