Pak-bound nagar kirtan gets warm welcome in Patiala
PATIALA: Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore on Monday welcomed the nagar kirtan, which commenced from Delhi and via Haryana entered Punjab at the Shambu barrier. CM Captain Amarinder Singh’s wife MP Preneet Kaur, along with cabinet minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, all MLAS of Patiala and the city’s bureaucracy gave a warm reception to the procession which will conclude at Nankana Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan.
Members of SAD and SGPC were nowhere to be seen at the event. However, the Congress leadership was conspicuous by their absence when the SGPC-LED procession entered Punjab last week, and was given a rousing welcome at Shambu barrier. The SGPC led procession that began in Kartarpur, which toured India will culminate at Sultanpur Lodhi. The procession is currently touring Punjab. To counter this move, Congress backed panthic leaders began their own procession from Delhi.
The tussle between the ruling Congress and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee seems to cast a shadow over Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary celebrations. Both the SAD backed SGPC and state government did not follow Akal Takht’s directives for joint celebrations, with each party looking to grab political mileage from the grand spiritual occasion.
FOOTBALL TOURNEY FROM NOVEMBER 23
Dedicated to Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary, A ‘Sikh football cup’ will start on November 23 at the Khalsa College, here in the city. The announcement was made by Khalsa Football Club (Khalsa FC) president Harjit Singh Grewal on Monday.
Grewal said, “In this inter-district tournament, Keshdari players between the age of 14 and 21 years will take part. The event will be organised by Khalsa FC in association with Global Sikh Sports Federation (GSSF). The main purpose of the GSSF is to promote popular sports among youth. The football cup will be held in all districts from November 23 under the FIFA rules.”
The Khalsa FC, affiliated to Punjab Football Association, will conduct selection trials in every district from October 29 to November 2 to select district level Keshdari football teams. The finals will be played on December 7. Subsequently, the state-level finals and closing ceremony would be held on December 7 at Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar.
“All district Kesdhari teams will be provided with sports kits and will receive allowances,” Grewal added.
THE CONG-BACKED PROCESSION, WHICH COMMENCED FROM DELHI, ENTERED PUNJAB AT SHAMBHU BARRIER; NO SAD, SGPC MEMBERS RECEIVE IT