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Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj urges Centre to reopen Kartarpur Corridor
The jathedar, who along with a Sikh jatha, had paid obeisance at Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, and other historical gurdwaras in Pakistan’s Punjab province, expressed gratitude both India and Pakistan governments for allowing them to travel.
Akal Takht acting jathedar and Takht Kesgarh jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj appealed for the reopening of Kartarpur Corridor as he returned to India via the Attari-Wagah border on Sunday after celebrating the 556th Parkash Gurpurb (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak at Nankana Sahib, Pakistan.
The jathedar, who along with a Sikh jatha, had paid obeisance at Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, and other historical gurdwaras in Pakistan’s Punjab province, expressed gratitude both India and Pakistan governments for allowing them to travel.
Speaking to the Indian media, jathedar Gargaj said that during his visit to Kartarpur Sahib, he performed Ardas (Sikh prayer) for peace and harmony between the India and Pakistan, and for the early reopening of Kartarpur Corridor and the Chardi Kala (high spirit) of the Sikh community. He said the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and the provincial Punjab government on the Pakistan side had made excellent arrangements, including tight security and facilities for the pilgrims.
Responding to a query, he condemned the “distortion of the facts” about the travel of Hindu devotees with Jatha. He said over 40 Hindu devotees accompanied the jatha of pilgrims in Pakistan.
Jathedar Gargaj further said that Sikhs have nearly 1.50 lakh acres in Pakistan, and if they are allowed to visit there, they can help in the upkeep and maintenance of the gurdwaras and the lands associated with them. He appreciated PSGPC president Ramesh Singh Arora for working commendably in coordination with the Punjab government (Pakistan), and added that it is a matter of pride for the community that a Sikh has been appointed a minister in the country. Arora was among those who came to the border to bid farewell to the jathedar.
The jathedar informed that the Pakistan government has announced that by April next year, it would open 17 more gurdwaras, which have remained closed since the partition of 1947, after carrying out necessary restoration and renovation.
Jathedar Gargaj also appealed to the Government of India that Sikhs living in Pakistan wish to visit the sacred Sikh shrines in India — such as Harmandar Sahib, Akal Takht, the birthplace of the Khalsa – Takht Kesgarh Sahib at Sri Anandpur Sahib, and other historical Gurdwaras — therefore, the government should make visa arrangements for them.
