Devotees upset, say $20 fee not an issue

AMRITSAR: Devotees aspiring to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur through the corridor to attend the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak are upset over delay in online registration by the Union government.

Government officials on Sunday said the online registration of devotees visiting the historic gurdwara in Pakistan could not be started as India and Pakistan have not yet agreed upon on a number of issues, including Islamabad’s insistence of charging $20 from each pilgrim.

On October 16, chairman of the Land Ports Authority of India and additional secretary of the ministry of home affairs Govind Mohan said online registration for pilgrims is expected to start on October 20.

Reacting to the delay, Baba Sukhdeep Singh Bedi, descendant of Guru Nanak who lives in Dera Baba Nanak, said: “Only a few days are left for the opening of the corridor but delay in online registrations has upset devotees.”

“It is an international project. So everything should be done in advance to operationalise the corridor. Sikhs are desperate to visit Kartarpur . So, their disappointment over the delay is natural,” said Kulwant Singh Ankhi, an Amritsar-based crusader active in ensuring promotion of religious tourism.

“There is no need to panic. Delay in the registration process is not a big issue. When governments of both the countries have decided to open the corridor, there is no need to worry,” said

Punjab animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, who belongs to Gurdaspur district.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Gobind Singh Longowal said: “Disagreement between two countries has caused the delay but we want the issues be settled at the earliest.”

Commenting on the $20 service charge per pilgrim imposed by the Pakistan government, Ankhi also said: “This is not an issue for Sikhs. They are ready to pay $20 . Pakistan is poor country and it is facilitating citizens of the other country. The Indian government should go ahead without bothering about it. To facilitate the pilgrims, the state should bear all expenses to ferry them from Delhi to Dera Baba Nanak.”

BS Goraya, who played key role in mobilising the Sikhs in demanding opening of the corridor, said: “Pakistan is a Muslim country but it spent ₹200 crore on the corridor. This burden should not be passed onto Pakistan.”

Everything should be done in advance to make the corridor operational. Sikhs are desperate to visit so their disappointment over the delay is natural.

KULWANT SINGH ANKHI, Amritsar-based activist