70% work done in Pak, India lagging: Minister

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 8

Accusing the Akalis of trying to divide Sikhs on party lines by organising parallel functions of 550th anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, Cooperation and Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who is head of Kartarpur Development Project, claimed that Pakistan had completed more than 70 per cent of work, while India was still lagging behind with just about 30 per cent completion.

In an interview with The Tribune, Randhawa said the SAD and the BJP-led Central government were trying to spoil the work done by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on the project as well as organising celebration functions jointly with the SGPC under the aegis of Akal Takht. He took on SAD president Sukhbir Badal for recently accusing Pakistan of trying to delay the project.

“We had met Akal Takht Jathedar and the SGPC management requesting them to organise joint celebrations. The SGPC and the government had issued a joint statement to this effect also, but Sukhbir took a delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to invite him without taking the state government into confidence. It is sad that politicians are trying to score political brownie points over the pious occasion,” he said.

Officials from India and Pakistan are meeting on July 14 to discuss the modalities of the project. “We want to take people of all faiths along in the celebrations, but we are saddened by the politics being played over the issue. No special provision was made in the Union Budget despite demand by the Punjab government,” the minister said.

Randhawa said his government too had some concerns with Pakistan but these were of constructive nature. “We are demanding that the visa fee for visit to Nankana Sahib, which is Rs 3,100 at present, be reduced. We also want the number of visitors to be at least 5,000 instead of 700 limit announced by Pakistan,” he said.

There was also an issue about flooding of Dera Baba Nanak due to construction on Pakistan side for the Kartarpur corridor. “The water of Ujh river in Pakistan might be diverted to India and flood Dera Baba Nanak in case of heavy rains. We have taken precautionary measures by strengthening the bandh on our side. We want Pakistan to take equal measures. We hope the Indian officials will raise this issue in July 14 meeting,” Randhawa added.

About the project

• In November 2018, India and Pakistan agreed to set up a corridor linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur.
• The corridor is expected to provide visa-free access to Sikh pilgrims to the gurdwara in Kartarpur Sahib, a small town in Narowal, 4 km from the Indo-Pak border, where Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life.

Takht for joint Gurpurb celebrations

• Amritsar: Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh has directed the Sant Samaj and Sikh organisations to celebrate the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak unitedly.
• He told the SGPC to appoint two senior members to coordinate between various groups and invite all for the occasion.
• Representatives of various Sikh organisations, including Sant Samaj, led by Damdami Taksal head Harnam Singh Khalsa, had a meeting with the Jathedar at the Akal Takht secretariat on Monday.