Dehradun, June 21 -- The Uttarakhand Government has appealed to people that the recently reported incident during the Hemkund Sahib Yatra, involving a group of Sikh pilgrims and local residents, should not be viewed as a religious dispute under any circumstances.

The government has warned that strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to give the matter a communal angle.

State Home Secretary Shailesh Bagauli stated on Saturday that the preliminary inquiry suggests the incident appears to be a dispute between two parties arising out of emotional reactions and differences, rather than a religious issue.

He emphasised that Devbhoomi Uttarakhand respects all religions and faiths equally, and that the state's cultural heritage h...