Advertisement

Updated November 6th, 2020 at 15:11 IST

Kartarpur Gurudwara management row: Subramanian Swamy slams Captain Amarinder's government

Subramanian Swamy has hit out at the Pakistani govt for taking over the management of Kartarpur Gurudwara from the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

Reported by: Jay Pandya
Kartarpur
| Image:self
Advertisement

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subramanian Swamy on Thursday hit out at the Pakistani government for taking over the management of Kartarpur Gurudwara from the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) to a separate trust. Taking to Twitter, Dr Swamy asked, "has Pakistan Islamic Dictatorship has taken over the management of Kartarpur Guru Nanak Gurudwara?"

'But Congi Punjab Govt was interested...'

The BJP leader also slammed the Congress government in Punjab and said that three years ago "I had said Indian troops should cross over and take over the Gurudwara. But Congi Punjab Govt was interested only taking visa and go on pilgrimage for Sikhs."

However, amid massive protests over Pakistan's decision, a top Islamabad official said on Thursday that the Sikh body will be part of the new management.

The Economic Coordination Committee of the Federal Cabinet recently approved the establishment of Project Management Unit (PMU) Kartarpur Corridor, a self-financing body, for management and maintenance of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib under the administrative control of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).

India on Thursday described Pakistan's decision as "highly condemnable", saying it runs against the religious sentiments of the Sikh community.

"Such actions only expose the reality of the Pakistani government and its leadership's tall claims of preserving and protecting the rights and welfare of the religious minority communities," the Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi. "Pakistan is called upon to reverse its arbitrary decision to deprive the Sikh minority community its right to manage affairs of the Holy Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib," it said.

'Pakistan's Sikh body will be part of it'

The EPTB is a statutory board that manages religious properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs who had migrated to India following the partition.

ETPB spokesperson Amir Hashmi said on Thursday that the PSGPC will be part of it. "The federal government early this week had handed over the administrative control of the Kartarpur Corridor to the ETPB. Earlier, the board was only looking after the affairs of the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib," he told PTI. Hashmi said that earlier several other agencies and departments were involved in the matters related to the corridor and now it has come under one department.

READ | OTV, Prag News & News Live newsrooms join Republic TV & Republic Bharat; Unite for Arnab

READ | In TRP case, OpIndia to hand over witness coercion tapes to CBI on November 6 at 2 pm

When asked why no administrative or other role has been given to the PSGPC, Hashmi said that the Sikh body is fully involved as it is part of ETPB. The Kartarpur is a true example of Sikh-Muslim friendship as well as interfaith harmony, he said.

"The government of Pakistan has spent 17 billion rupees on phase one of the Kartarpur Corridor Project so far. About 875 acres land has been acquired for Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, he said, adding that the second phase will be launched soon.

Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the river Ravi, about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India. It is the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev, who had spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur.

READ | Arnab Goswami Arrested LIVE Updates: Bombay HC to hear both sides at 3 PM tomorrow

READ | Jharkhand follows other non-BJP ruled states; withdraws general consent given to CBI

Advertisement

Published November 6th, 2020 at 15:11 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Kerala Nirmal Lottery Sambad Friday Result
a few seconds ago
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir
a few seconds ago
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Rajya Sabha MP Keshava Rao is set to join the Congress party.
4 minutes ago
Byju's leadership dispute
6 minutes ago
Pulkit Samrat
12 minutes ago
Lok Sabha Elections 2024 LIVE
12 minutes ago
Xiaomi 14 Ultra
13 minutes ago
Sunita Kejriwal urged people to send ‘messages of support’ to Delhi CM
15 minutes ago
Allu Arjun Unveils His Wax Statue At Madame Tussauds In Dubai
16 minutes ago
Piyush Kumar, GATE 2024 CSIT Topper
18 minutes ago
A poster of Crew
21 minutes ago
How to Keep Yourself Safe from Unhealthy Air?
22 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo