Taksalis give credit to Sidhu, want passport, fee waived

AMRITSAR: Acknowledging Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu’s role in the opening of Kartarpur corridor, the SAD (Taksali) today expressed gratitude towards the governments of India and Pakistan for the gesture dedicated to 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

SAD (Taksali) president Ranjit Singh Brahmpura (2L) with party leaders in Amritsar. Vishal Kumar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 21

Acknowledging Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu’s role in the opening of Kartarpur corridor, the SAD (Taksali) today expressed gratitude towards the governments of India and Pakistan for the gesture dedicated to 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

“Sidhu is the ‘hero’. His efforts yielded results and ardas of the Sikh sangat has been heard. How could it be ignored? We demand that the condition of passport and service fee should be waived so that each and every devotee should have no hitch in visiting the shrine,” SAD (Taksali) president Ranjit Singh Brahmpura said, adding that till the time the fee was waived, it should be borne by the SGPC.

Demanding “khule darshan didar” of Gurdwara Darbar Sahid, the party demanded that the condition of passport as identification document for pilgrims and $20 service fee should be waived.

Pointing towards the whopping amount of Rs 12 crore spent on erecting a stage at Sultanpur Lodhi, Brahmpura feared that there could be gross misappropriation of “golak” money by SGPC officials.

“We intend to set the SGPC free from corrupt officials who are puppets of the Badals and indulged in mass corruption. The general house on November 27 will elect the president only on the basis of ‘envelop’ they receive from the Badals. We demand that the SGPC general elections be held soon,” he said.

Brahmpura said the SAD (Taksali), which endorsed the Sri Anandpur Sahib resolution and the All-India Akali Conference held at Batala in 70s, was all set to commemorate the centenary of the Shiromani Akali Dal next year.

Meanwhile, the party held a meeting here aiming at strengthening its base. It appointed observers, which included Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala for Amritsar and Tarn Taran; Sewa Singh Sekhwan Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Hoshiarpur; Bir Devinder Singh Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib; Harsukhinder Singh Bubby Badal Bathinda, Mansa and Sangrur; Ujagar Singh Badali Mohali and Ropar; Mahinder Singh Hussainpur Nawanshahr, Karnail Singh Peermohammad Moga and Ferozepur; Charan Singh Fazilka; Mohan Singh Sathiala Kapurthala and Makhan Singh Nangal Faridkot.