SGPC objects to Pakistan’s restrictions on pilgrimage

  • | Sunday | 17th March, 2019

Pakistan has not agreed on allowing foot pilgrimage through the corridor, a distance of about 4 km, but wants to allow devotees in groups of 15 that too through buses. It has made carrying passports mandatory for the pilgrims and has decided to issue special permissions. Pakistan is backtracking from its earlier announcements of doing everything for the ‘khulae darshan deedar’ of Kartarpur Sahib.”Pakistan has so far agreed to accept only 500 to 700 Indian devotees as against Indian proposal of 5,000 devotees each day and additional 10,000 devotees on religious occasions. AMRITSAR: Sikhs’ single largest representative body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has taken strong exception to Pakistan government narrowing down the scope of pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib by imposing various restrictions even though the corridor was supposed to make it hassle free devotees to go where Guru Nanak Dev spent about 18 years of his life.While censuring the Pakistan government, SGPC president Gonind Singh Longowal told TOI on Saturday, “These restrictions are not acceptable to any follower of Guru Nanak Dev. The neighbouring country has also not clarified about allowing non-Sikhs or Sehajdharis or persons of other faith to travel through the corridor.Longowal said that majority of people didn’t have passports so they would be deprived of visiting the holy shrine.

AMRITSAR: Sikhs’ single largest representative body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has taken strong exception to Pakistan government narrowing down the scope of pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib by imposing various restrictions even though the corridor was supposed to make it hassle free devotees to go where Guru Nanak Dev spent about 18 years of his life.While censuring the Pakistan government, SGPC president Gonind Singh Longowal told TOI on Saturday, “These restrictions are not acceptable to any follower of Guru Nanak Dev. Pakistan is backtracking from its earlier announcements of doing everything for the ‘khulae darshan deedar’ of Kartarpur Sahib.”Pakistan has so far agreed to accept only 500 to 700 Indian devotees as against Indian proposal of 5,000 devotees each day and additional 10,000 devotees on religious occasions. It has made carrying passports mandatory for the pilgrims and has decided to issue special permissions. Pakistan has not agreed on allowing foot pilgrimage through the corridor, a distance of about 4 km, but wants to allow devotees in groups of 15 that too through buses. The neighbouring country has also not clarified about allowing non-Sikhs or Sehajdharis or persons of other faith to travel through the corridor.Longowal said that majority of people didn’t have passports so they would be deprived of visiting the holy shrine. Pakistan should have shown magnanimity and allowed carrying any Indian identity proof and should have not laid condition of issuing special permit, added he.Union home ministry’s joint secretary S C L Das said that list of the pilgrims would be sent to Pakistan, which they would clear in few days time.“Guru Nanak Dev never discriminated with anyone and not allowing persons of all faith to travel through corridor to pay obeisance at gurdwara will defeat the very purpose of it. There are lots and lots of people in every faith who follows the teachings of Guru Nanak and their religious sentiments should be honoured,” said Longowal.“There should not be any limit on number of devotees and we standby with our governments proposal of sending minimum of 5,000 pilgrims a day,” he said, adding that since walking to place of pilgrimage was a tradition, those who were willing walk should be allowed to.He said SGPC would write to the Pakistan government about it displeasure with their restrictions and would appeal them to make the pilgrimage convenient sans any formalities since it was an issue related to religious sentiments.

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