WASHINGTON, USA—A delegation of California based Sikh body named United Sikh Mission submitted a memorandum in Indian Embassy at Washington on October 29 seeking Indian PM Narendra Modi’s intervention for facilitating Indian Sikhs with visa-free access to the historic Sikh shrine Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib. Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib is situated in district Narowal of western Punjab where Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent last 18 years of his life.
“Pilgrims from India will be able to go to Gurdwara with an official Indian ID without having a visa from Pakistan or any other complicated formalities hurting the pilgrims that are not that technology savvy. Pilgrims must return to India the same day after attending the services,” reads the memorandum.
Several members of the Hindu community from in and around the Washington DC also joined the Sikh delegation to the Indian Embassy to submit the memorandum.
It is pertinent to note here that the Pakistani government had earlier announced to build a corridor for Indian Sikhs to provide them visa-free access of Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib but the negative attitude of Indian government compelled the Pakistan government to stop moving ahead on this issue.
A resolution in this regard has been already unanimously passed by the Punjab state assembly recently.
