If Pak-bound Sikh jatha given nod now, why not for Nankana massacre centenary: SGPC
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Jagir Kaur on Tuesday said if the central government could give a go-ahead to a Sikh jatha going to Pakistan on the occasion of Baisakhi then what stopped it from approving a group of pilgrims visiting the neighbouring country to mark the Nankana Sahib massacre centenary in February
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Jagir Kaur on Tuesday said if the central government could give a go-ahead to a Sikh jatha going to Pakistan on the occasion of Baisakhi then what stopped it from approving a group of pilgrims visiting the neighbouring country to mark the Nankana Sahib massacre centenary in February.
Baisakhi is also celebrated as the Khalsa foundation day.
“Four jathas visit the holy shrines in Pakistan every year,. The government’s decision of giving permission to the jatha raises question on its earlier move when a special jatha was denied nod citing the pandemic and security reasons. It is clear that the government deliberately banned the jatha. The pandemic situation at that time was much better as compared to the present,” Jagir Kaur said.
The Sikh community, she added, can never forget the jatha getting stopped by the government on the occasion of 100th anniversary of Saka Nankana Sahib.
Questioning the closure of the Kartarpur corridor, she said, “The corridor was also closed citing Covid-19 even as the sangat visiting the holy place will return in the evening. If there is no prohibition for coronavirus elsewhere, why the corridor should remain closed. The government should seriously consider this matter.”