Akal Takht, SGPC urge Centre to reopen Kartarpur corridor
AMRITSAR: Two days after Pakistan reopened its portion of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, the Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Wednesday urged the government to reopen the Indian side of the corridor.
The acting jathedar of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, Giani Harpreet Singh, said, “On June 8, the government of India had opened all religious places. Our government should also open Kartarpur corridor for the Sikh sangat.”
“I welcome the opening of the corridor by Pakistan. I also request to the government of India to try to open the corridor as soon as possible while following the guidelines of the health department,” said Gobind Singh Longowal, president of the SGPC.
The jathedar and gurdwara body chief were taking to media persons after participating in a religious function organised at the Akal Takht secretariat to commemorate the foundation day of the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs.
Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh had said that he was in favour of opening the corridor, but added that the Centre will not be ready to reopen the corridor in such a short time.
The jathedar also advised the Sikh youth to think twice while posting material on social media platforms.
“Those who are destroying the determination and principles of the Akal Takht should be given a befitting reply. On social media, an atmosphere is emerging, which is encouraging genocide and destruction of our principles and organisations. We must be saved from it. I appeal youngsters to not get provoked and only share posts on social media after thinking twice,” said the jathedar. Also, he alleged assault and harassment of a 22-year-old had committed suicide SBS Nagar by some villagers at the behest of Congress MLA Angad Singh Saini, the village sarpanch and her nambardar husband.