Pak gurdwara body to protest denial of visit to Sikh jatha
AMRITSAR: The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) will hold a protest on July 7 at Wagah border on Pakistan side against the Indian government for denying permission to Sikh jathas (Groups of Sikh pilgrims) to go to Pakistan.
This was disclosed by representatives of the Pak gurdwara panel and Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) in a joint press conference organised in Lahore (Pakistan).
Besides PSGPC president Tara Singh, former president Bishan Singh, general secretary Gopal Singh Chawla, ETPB chairman Mohammad Sadiq, deputy secretary Imran Khan and minister of (west), Punjab, Ramesh Singh Arora were present in the conference.
They said: “The Sikh jatha that was to come to Gurdwara Dehra Sahib (Lahore) to observe martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, was not allowed to board the Samjhauta Express on June 8. Then, the Indian government did not allow a special train to cross the border from Pakistan to ferry the 300-member Sikh jatha sent by Bhai Mardana Yadgari Kirtan Darbar Society, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and Khalra Mission Committee. The Sikh pilgrims faced harassment amid downpour at the Atari railway station. And we kept on waiting for them this side of border with Langar,” said Tara Singh.
“Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev, is as sacred for Sikhs as Kaaba (Mecca) for Muslims. Other shrines like Panja Sahib have great religious importance for Sikhs who have deliberately been disallowed to visit these shrines. We condemn this act strongly,” he said.
Slamming Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) for remaining ‘mum’ on the issue, the Pak Sikh leaders said they also should have condemned the Indian government.