Akal Takht, SGPC urge Centre to reopen Kartarpur corridor

Jathedar advises the Sikh youth to think twice while posting material on social media platforms

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.

HT Photo

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 the Pakistan government. 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 Captain 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.

WORD TO THE WISE

“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 so that no untoward incident takes place,” said the jathedar.

His appeal comes after reports of ‘Khalistani operatives’ being arrested by the Punjab Police for ‘using social medial platforms’ to come in contact with their handlers in Pakistan came out.

On Tuesday, the jathedar had asked the SGPC to pursue the cases of Khalistani operatives arrested by Punjab Police recently.

“It has come to our notice that the Punjab Police arrested a few youngsters in the name of Khalistan. If any innocent person has been arrested or anyone has been put behind bars on false charges, it is condemnable, and the SGPC should pursue the matter and get the cases probed,” he had said.

Earlier this month, he had claimed that every Sikh wanted Khalistan.

JATHEDAR SEEKS PROBE INTO 22-YEAR-OLD’S SUICIDE

A 22-year-old had committed suicide at Nangal Shanga village in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar on Monday. He alleged assault and harassment by some villagers at the behest of Congress MLA Angad Singh Saini, the village sarpanch and her nambardar husband.

“A Sikh youth was humiliated and his kakars (five symbols of Sikh faith) were desecrated, after which, the young man committed suicide. This is condemnable. It is our appeal to the Punjab government, especially the CM, that all the accused, be it an MLA or MP, should be sent behind bars. A case under Section 302 (murder) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage reli¬gious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or reli¬gious beliefs) should also be registered against the accused,” the jathedar said.

He also asked the SGPC to form a committee and investigate the incident thoroughly.