AMRITSAR SAHIB—Pakistan High Commissioner has denied visas to the Sikh pilgrims from India for observing martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev ji, contending that the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) is observing the event on June 16 as per the original Nanakshahi Calendar. Thus, the Nanakshahi Calendar row has once again divided the Sikh community.
In view of the denial, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) have decided not to send their jathas to Pakistan for observing the Gurpurab. The SGPC and the DSGMC are willing only to observe the ‘Gurpurb’ in Pakistan on June 1st as per the amended Nanakshahi Calendar.
SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar condemned the move of the Pakistan High Commission, saying, “We had sent a list of pilgrims to the Pakistan High Commission for issuing visas for the ‘Gurpurb’, but they declined to issue the same, following which we decided not to send our jatha.”
Lashing out at Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) that looks after Gurdwara affairs, he said its policies are “dangerous and misleading for Sikhs”. He said the Sikh community didn’t need any permission from the ETPB to observe their ‘Gurpurbs’.
DSGMC president Manjit Singh GK endorsed that they had also gotten the passports of the pilgrims back from the Pakistan High Commission as they too have decided not to send their jatha to Pakistan. A total of 500 pilgrims were supposed to leave for Pakistan to observe the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev there. Out of these 500, half were a part of the SGPC jatha. In another development, Makkar also flayed the alleged incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in Pakistan.
On the other hand, former DSGMC president and SAD (Delhi) chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said they would be sending a jatha of Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan to observe ‘Gurpurb’ on June 16 as per the original Nanakshahi Calendar.
