Fashion designer gets threats over yoga at Golden Temple – Times of India

VADODARA: A Vadodara-based fashion designer and influencer, Archana Makwana, was put under police protection on Sunday after getting death threats online over her yoga poses at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. The Gujarat police provided her security and advised her to stay home for the next few days over threats to her life.

The Punjab police booked Makwana for hurting religious sentiments after a complaint was filed by the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Saturday. Makwana performed meditation and “Shirsasana” (head stand) on the Golden Temple premises on June 21, International Day for Yoga, and posted the pictures on social media.

The photos went viral following which the SGPC criticized the incident and said it hurt their religious sentiments. Makwana removed the pictures and posted a video apologizing for her act on Saturday. “The world was celebrating International Yoga Day, so I thought of performing Shirsasana at such a holy place to spread the message of unity as well as fitness. I never thought that it would hurt sentiments,” Makwana told TOI.

“I am getting abusive messages and some have been issuing death threats on my WhatsApp number since Saturday. I haven’t filed any complaint but, on Sunday, four cops from Vadodara police turned up at my home to provide me security. They asked me not to leave my home for a few days,” Makwana said. Makwana uploaded photographs of other tourists performing Yoga in Golden Temple premises on her Instagram account and asked: “Why no action was taken against anyone? I am being harassed for no reason.” Her Instagram still has the photo of her meditating at the Golden Temple on June 21. She added that on Sunday evening, she received a summons from Punjab police in Amritsar to appear before it on June 30 with regards to the FIR. The SGPC, the apex gurdwara body, suspended its three employees for not performing their duties diligently. “Sikh sentiments and ‘maryada’ (conduct) have been hurt by the act, so a complaint has been filed with the police,” SGPC president HS Dhami said.