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Journalism of Courage
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh Thursday termed as “extremely unfortunate” the denial of visa to a delegation of Punjab ministers, MPs and MLAs to visit Sri Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. He also denied the Centre’s role in it as alleged by his Cabinet minister Charanjit Singh Channi. He said that Centre had sent the names to Pakistan, but the neighbouring country did not grant them visas. “Not granting visas (to the Punjab delegation) was a petty thing on part of the Pakistan government,” he said.
Channi on Wednesday had said a majority of names in the state government delegation, which was proposed to visit Nankana Sahib, were not approved by the Centre. Channi too was part of the delegation.
On Congress Rajya Sabha member Pratap Singh Bajwa’s statement that he would not be part of the inaugural jatha if it was led by Amarinder, the Punjab CM said, “He can go with the Akalis then”.
He also said that Punjab government did not have any confirmation about the visits of President or Vice President visiting Sultanpur Lodhi.
He also accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal of politicising the auspicious 550th Prakash Purb by obstructing joint celebration of the historic event.
“The occasion was one of pride which my government wanted to celebrate collectively, rising above petty political considerations. However, the SAD scuttled all attempts of the state government to ensure joint celebrations…it is sheer pettiness on the part of the Akalis, particularly Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal,” Amarinder said.
Pointing out that his government had spent Rs 550 crore to ensure a befitting celebration of the historic event, Amarinder said the entire occasion had been transformed into a political drama by the Akalis, backed by their allies, the BJP.
Politics should have been kept aside on this religious occasion, he added, while reiterating his protest against Islamabad’s refusal to withdraw the USD 20 fee on pilgrims visiting Kartarpur Gurdwara via the corridor. He urged the Imran Khan-led government to be large-hearted, keeping in view Sikh sentiment and tradition.
Asked if the state government was ready to pay the said amount on behalf of the pilgrims, Singh said he was, in principle, against giving anything to Pakistan on this count.
On Pakistan’s invitation to Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the Kartarpur Corridor inauguration, the chief minister asked media persons to ask his former cabinet colleague about it.
In response to a question, Singh rejected the SAD’s claims on the central government funding the majority of the development projects to commemorate the 550th Prakash Purb.
The Centre gave money for only two projects, and one of them was only partially funded by them, he said, adding that the state government had already spent Rs 550 crore and would be spending more on infrastructure development and various events.
The chief minister, who reviewed the progress of work of the Kartarpur Corridor, which will be opening for devotees on November 9, 2019 at Zero Line (India-Pakistan International Border, Dera Baba Nanak), said all work undertaken by the state government was complete.
Only the work on the Integrated Check Post of the Land Port Authority was still continuing under the central government’s supervision, he said, but was hopeful it would also be completed by November 9.
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