New Delhi: A major political controversy has emerged after protesters entered Delhi's Gurudwara Bangla Sahib to evade detention, followed closely by police personnel. Following the incident, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee submitted a formal written complaint to the Delhi Police against leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party. The committee accused these leaders of spreading fabricated videos and constructing a false narrative intended to disrupt communal harmony ahead of the Punjab elections. Both the management committee and law enforcement clarified that the officers walked through a routine, common passageway where footwear is permitted, which leads directly to the shoe-removal area.
Meanwhile, opposition parties claimed that police officers entered the sacred religious premises while wearing shoes, thereby offending religious sentiments. In response to the rising tensions, heavy security deployments involving the Rapid Action Force and the Central Reserve Police Force were established outside the shrine and around the nearby Connaught Place area.
In a related development, the Supreme Court of India convened a special Sunday hearing concerning petitions on transport shutdowns, detentions, and movement restrictions across Delhi. The bench issued official notices to key authorities, including the Home Secretary, the Delhi Police Commissioner, and the chairperson of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, requiring them to submit responses.
The apex court directed that metro and railway networks must operate normally unless specific regulatory measures are strictly necessary for public order. It also mandated an immediate review of police barricades across the capital and ordered that the unhindered movement of citizens and traffic be permitted, subject to standard traffic rules.
The court emphasized that no detentions are legally permissible except in strict accordance with the law, noting that peaceful and unarmed gatherings outside areas restricted under Section 163 cannot be arbitrarily suppressed. Additionally, the bench safeguarded the professional rights of lawyers and journalists and instructed that internet services must remain uninterrupted. All related petitions are slated for further review on Tuesday.