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Canadian police shut down Sikh temple for peace's sake

The Vancouver police have closed one of Canada's largest Sikh temples, fearing a clash between moderate and fundamentalist factions.

Police chief Bruce Chambers said officers acted on Sunday after failing to mediate a solution in the long-running religious dispute at the Ross Street temple.

"It was very tense for a while,'' said police spokesman Sergeant Gord Elias, "We had the two opposing sides on different sides of the street, yelling back and forth.''

The streets around the temple were reopened on Sunday afternoon after the crowd of about 1,000 dispersed, but Elias said the temple building would remain closed indefinitely.

The dispute revolves around an edict from the religion's ruling body in India to remove tables and chairs, which fundamentalists consider to be improper additions to a temple.

Leaders of several Sikh temples across the province of British Columbia have refused to obey this, despite the order coming from high priest Ranjit Singh.

Six high-ranking Canadian Sikh leaders, including the priest, president and secretary of the Ross Street temple, were excommunicated last week for failing to appear before Singh in India to defend their decision.

The excommunicated leaders have vowed to continue at the temple.

Two people were arrested last Sunday at the temple after a scuffle broke out when fundamentalists tried to remove the tables and chairs.

UNI

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