KARTARPUR PILGRIMAGE: TRAVEL, REGISTRATION SUSPENDED
SGPC president asks Centre to review decision, says it is a matter of faith and restriction should have been avoided
NEW DELHI: Pilgrimage and registration for the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan will be suspended beginning Sunday midnight in view of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Union home ministry said.
The government has also suspended movement of all types of passengers through international border points with Pakistan from 00:00 hours of March 16 in view of the coronavirus threat. “In wake of Covid-19 India outbreak, as a precautionary measure to contain and control spread of the disease, the travel and registration for Sri Kartarpur Sahib is temporarily suspended from 00:00 hours on March 16, 2020, till further orders,” a home ministry spokesperson said.
AMRITSAR: A day after Pakistan government debarred its citizens from visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, the government of India on Sunday suspended pilgrimage to the last resting place of Guru Nanak with effect from Monday till further orders.
In a tweet, spokesperson of Union ministry of home affairs, said, “In the wake of COVID-19 India outbreak, as a precautionary measure to contain and control spread of the disease, the travel and registration for Sri Kartarpur Sahib is temporarily suspended from 0000hrs, March 16, 2020, till further orders.”
This is the first incident of suspension of the pilgrimage through the corridor that was opened on November 9 last year to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak providing Indian pilgrims a visa-free access to Kartarpur gurdwara, 4km from the international border on Pakistan side.
Earlier, Punjab government on Friday has announced closure of all educational institutions in the state till March 31. On Saturday, it ordered a shutdown of cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools and banned public gatherings, including cultural events, till further notice to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The government also closed plaza basement at the Golden Temple for visitors. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Saturday also announced to close its educational institutions till March 31. The central government on Friday had also suspended trade and movement of passengers at the Integrated Check Post (ICP), Attari, till April 15.
Over 59,000 pilgrims have visited the shrine since the opening of the corridor. On an average, 500 pilgrims used the corridor daily this month.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal disagreed with the decision of suspending the pilgrimage citing that this is a matter of faith and the pilgrimage should not have been suspended in this way.
Replying to a query on the sidelines of a function at the Golden Temple here, Longowal said, “The pilgrimage should have continued with proper precautionary measures. Since the Sikhs had to wait more than seven decades for opening of the corridor, the restriction should have been avoided. The Centre should review its decision”.
On Friday, Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had urged the Centre not to impose restrictions on pilgrims going to Kartarpur Sahib.
He could not be contacted for his reaction on the suspension.
Baba Sukhdeep Singh Bedi, one of the descendents of Guru Nanak, said, “Some checkposts of the country on international border are still open. Dera Baba Nanak checkpost should also have remained open keeping in view sentiments of the devotees.”
“It is not a big issue. The people are anyway participating in big gatherings across the country. If they are not getting infected with the virus, how could Kartarpur pilgrims could get it? The pilgrimage was not a threat as number of devotees crossing over to Pakistan to pay obeisance at Kartarpur Sahib is very small,” he added.
VIRASAT-E-KHLASA CLOSED FOR VISITORS
ANANDPURSAHIB: Punjab government on Sunday also shut down Virasat-e-Khlasa museum until further orders.
Punjab tourism and cultural affairs minister Charanjit Singh Channi said the museum has narrow galleries and hundreds of visitors remain in close proximity for hours to see exhibits and digital shows.
Keeping in view the safety of visitors and demand from different quarters, the government has decided to close the museum till further orders, added Channi.
Notably, around 5,000 people from India and abroad visit the museum daily and even 4, 500 people visited it on Sunday, despite the threat.