Dubai/Amritsar:Mahant Rajiv Lochan Das Chaturkut Dham (Chhattisgarh), a renowned international orator and social reformer of the Vaishno Devi tradition, has termed the ban imposed on the entry of Pakistani Sanatan Hindus into the Swami Narayan Temple in Dubai, Abu Dhabi as sad and unfortunate. He said that the temple is a center of faith for all Sanatans and no Hindu Sanatan should be prevented from going to the court of God.
According to Prof. Sarchand Singh Khiala, Mahant Rajiv Lochan Das Ji, Mahant Ashish Das Jabalpur, Joginder Singh Salaria and other companions had reached the Swami Narayan Temple to offer prayers as part of the five-day “Samajik Sadbhavana Yatra” being held in UAE. During this, they saw that at the entrance of the temple, Sanatani Hindu Chaman Lal of Pakistani origin was stopped from entering simply on the grounds of being Pakistani. Mahant Ji termed this incident as unfortunate and against the principle of religious equality.
Mahant Rajiv Lochan Das said that although Pakistan is considered an anti-minority country, the oppressed and religiously extremist Hindus there should be given the right to worship God according to their faith. He appealed that the temple authorities should check the documents of all Hindu devotees and allow them to enter, and not bar anyone on the basis of their national identity.
Mahant Ji emphasized that the Swami Narayan Temple in Dubai is a living example of religion, culture and humanity. Despite being an Islamic country, the support and contribution that the UAE government has given for the establishment of this temple is a symbol of religious tolerance and global brotherhood.
“I was born in Pakistan, what is my fault in this”: Afflicted Hindu devotee Chaman Lal.
Pakistani Hindu Chaman Lal, who was denied entry into the temple, expressed his grief and said, “If I was born in Pakistan, what is my fault in this? I am proud that I am a Sanatani Hindu and I should be given the right to worship God in the temple. Pakistani Hindus should also be allowed to enter the temple so that we can offer our devotion.”