Coronavirus: Akal Takht Jathedar urges Sikh community to follow govt directions

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh on Sunday called upon the Sikh community to follow the government's directions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The jathedar (head priest) of the Akal Takht, which is the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, also appealed to people to come forward and extent all kinds of help to needy persons while noting that coronavirus infection has posed serious threat to the lives of people across the world.

In a video message, he also asked people to stay at home and enforce self quarantine measures.

People should follow the directions of the government and health departments, Singh said.

In his message, the jathedar said the coronavirus infection was badly affecting the lives of people in the entire world.

All Sikh organisations and Gurdwara management committees across the world should step forward and extend all kinds of help including distribution of essential items and medicines to the needy, he added.

He also asked for preparing 'sarais' at Gurdwaras for quarantine purposes.

Singh also asked for postponing religious ceremonies at all gurdwaras for two weeks.

The Punjab government on Sunday announced that a statewide lockdown will be enforced till March 31 as a measure to prevent the spread of the virus.