Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service
Sultanpur Lodhi, November 12

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday announced that he would urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prevail upon Pakistan to grant Indian devotees direct access to more historic gurdwaras across the border.

The announcement was made during the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak where President Ram Nath Kovind joined the CM in leading the historic celebrations in the state. Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot were also part of the event.

Expressing his gratitude to PM Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan for helping realise the Sikh community’s dream of visiting Kartarpur gurdwara and suffixing “ji” after their names, Capt Amarinder hoped this would be followed by more such gurdwaras in the neighbouring country being opened to Indian devotees. He said he would personally take up the matter with Modi and urge him to raise the issue with Imran to facilitate the realisation of the Sikh community’s dream to visit gurdwaras such as Panja Sahib and Nankana Sahib.

Medals for policemen

The CM also announced his government’s decision to honour Punjab Police personnel with Parkash Purb medals for their service to the state in the true spirit of Guru Nanak’s ideology. He also announced that the 550th Gurpurb celebrations would continue till November 2020.

Addressing a religious congregation after the bhog of “sehaj path” (started on November 5), the CM said as per his government’s decision to release 550 convicts prematurely to mark the historic occasion, 450 had already been freed, while the others would be released over the next few months.

The CM underscored the significance of education in line with Guru’s bani “Vidya vichari, ta parupkari”. He spoke on the importance of following Guru Nanak’s message of Pavan guru, pani pita, mata dharat mahat (air the guru, water the father and the earth the mother) by protecting the environment for the future generations. He exhorted all to make judicious use of groundwater, which was swiftly depleting, and refrain from burning paddy stubble and excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides. He urged all to preserve nature and natural resources to make Punjab clean, green and pollution-free.

Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar honoured members of Sant Samaj and representatives of various Sikh religious organisations.

Earlier, the CM paid obeisance at Gurdwara Ber Sahib, where he offered a “rumala” and a “chaur sahib” and “karah parsad”. SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal and member and former minister Tota Singh presented a siropa to the CM. Later, Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat also visited the government pandal.