Tension over symbols grips village on Ravidas anniversary

Communal tension gripped a Hoshiarpur village today on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas. Tension arose as a group of Ravidasias wanted to replace the religious insignia of Sikhs,khanda,with the symbol Har,atop the Nishan Sahib in a Ravidasia Gurdwara at Dansiwal village under Mahalpur Police Station.

Sikhs objected to the removal of Khanda,which led to serious tension in the village as both communities confronted each other. Ravidasias also blocked the Hoshiarpur-Chandigarh state highway near Garhshankar for over an hour.

Heavy police force was deployed in the village to avoid any untoward incident and senior civil and police officials reached the spot. Village sarpanch,Lakhbir Singh Rana,said people of Ravidasia community had installed the “Har” insignia despite opposition from the other community.