Kovind pays obeisance at Golden Temple, Durgiana

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 16

President Ram Nath Kovind visited the Golden Temple today with members of his family and Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore.

He was welcomed by SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh, SGPC secretary Roop Singh and general secretary Amarjit Singh Chawla at the entrance plaza of the shrine.

The visiting dignitaries partook of langar at Guru Ram Das Langar Hall.

Golden Temple head priest Giani Jagtar Singh offered them ‘siropas’ (robe of honour) and garland after they paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum.

Badungar said the President enquired about the shrine during the ‘parkarma’. SGPC ‘sewadars’ (volunteers) had formed a security ring around the President. The SGPC refrained from discussing Sikh matters that require President’s intervention. “It was his first visit to the Golden Temple. So, we thought it to be an inappropriate juncture to burden him with our problems. The issues can be taken up later,” Badungar said.

The SGPC chief presented Kovind with a replica of the shrine, a shawl and a set of Sikh religious literature at the newly opened information centre.

Later, the President visited Jallianwala Bagh to pay tributes to martyrs. He also paid obeisance at Durgiana Temple, where he was honoured by the management committee.