VADODARA: Archana Makwana, a Vadodara-based fashion designer and influencer, was placed under police protection on Sunday after she received death threats online for performing a yoga pose at the Golden Temple in Punjab’s Amritsar. The Gujarat police have provided her with personal security and advised her to stay at home for the next few days as her life is in danger.
Punjab Police arrested Makwana for hurting religious sentiments after a complaint was received from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Saturday. Makwana had meditated and performed ‘shirshasana’ (headstand) on the Golden Temple premises on International Yoga Day, June 21, and posted the pictures on social media.
The photo went viral and the SGPC condemned the incident, saying it had hurt religious sentiments. Makwana deleted the photo and posted a video on Saturday apologising for his actions. “As the world was celebrating International Yoga Day, I thought of performing Shirshasana at such a sacred place to spread a message of unity as well as health. I never thought it would hurt sentiments,” Makwana told TOI.
“Since Saturday, I have been receiving harassing messages and some of them are sending death threats on my WhatsApp number. Though I have not filed a complaint, four officers from Vadodara police came to my house on Sunday for security. They told me not to step out of the house for a few days,” Makwana said. Makwana uploaded a picture of other tourists performing yoga on the Golden Temple premises on her Instagram account and asked, “Why is no one taking action? I am being harassed for no reason.” Her Instagram still shows her meditating at the Golden Temple on June 21. She added that she received a summons from Punjab Police in Amritsar on Sunday evening to appear on June 30 in relation to the FIR. The SGPC, the apex body of gurdwaras, has suspended three officials for dereliction of duty. “We have filed a complaint with the police as the sentiments and ‘mariyada’ (act) of Sikhs have been hurt due to this act,” SGPC chairman HS Dhami said.
Punjab Police arrested Makwana for hurting religious sentiments after a complaint was received from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Saturday. Makwana had meditated and performed ‘shirshasana’ (headstand) on the Golden Temple premises on International Yoga Day, June 21, and posted the pictures on social media.
The photo went viral and the SGPC condemned the incident, saying it had hurt religious sentiments. Makwana deleted the photo and posted a video on Saturday apologising for his actions. “As the world was celebrating International Yoga Day, I thought of performing Shirshasana at such a sacred place to spread a message of unity as well as health. I never thought it would hurt sentiments,” Makwana told TOI.
“Since Saturday, I have been receiving harassing messages and some of them are sending death threats on my WhatsApp number. Though I have not filed a complaint, four officers from Vadodara police came to my house on Sunday for security. They told me not to step out of the house for a few days,” Makwana said. Makwana uploaded a picture of other tourists performing yoga on the Golden Temple premises on her Instagram account and asked, “Why is no one taking action? I am being harassed for no reason.” Her Instagram still shows her meditating at the Golden Temple on June 21. She added that she received a summons from Punjab Police in Amritsar on Sunday evening to appear on June 30 in relation to the FIR. The SGPC, the apex body of gurdwaras, has suspended three officials for dereliction of duty. “We have filed a complaint with the police as the sentiments and ‘mariyada’ (act) of Sikhs have been hurt due to this act,” SGPC chairman HS Dhami said.
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