3 min readChandigarhFeb 26, 2020 03:31 AM IST
First published on: Feb 26, 2020 at 03:31 AM IST
The Kartarpur Corridor was opened on November 9 last year, linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib with Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’s Gurdaspur. (File)
The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution urging Centre to ask Pakistan to waive of the passport requirement and reduce the $20 fee for pilgrims visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib through Kartarpur Corridor.
The resolution was moved by Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa in the Vidhan Sabha on the third day of the Budget Session.
“Many people who want to pay obeisance at the Kartarpur gurdwara do not have passports and that is why they cannot go there,” Randhawa said, suggesting that documents like the Aadhaar could be allowed instead of the passport.
He also sought simplification of the online registration process for visiting the shrine where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev spent his final years.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said he would take an all-party delegation to the Centre and urge it to take up the issue with the Pakistan government.
“We will seek time from Prime Minister and Home Minister,” Amarinder said, adding that the issues were discussed in a meeting with Union government officials before the opening of Kartarpur Corridor, but could not crystallise as Pakistan was not agreeing to it.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Ijaz Shah had informed National Assembly that Islamabad was considering a proposal to allow Indian pilgrims to enter the Kartarpur Corridor without passport in order to attract more visitors to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. For this to happen, the memorandum of understanding signed (MoU) signed by the two nations would have to be revised
Calling it an “important resolution”, Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala said the requirement of passport for visiting Kartarpur Sahib was a bottleneck and that was why footfall of pilgrims was very less. “Tedious online procedure should also be made easy,” Wadala said, while supporting the resolution. Wadala suggested that CM lead an all party delegation to Centre.
CM asked Wadala to tell Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal to prepare a ground and apprise PM and other ministers about the importance of the matter before he leads a delegation to Centre.
Saying that “despite Congress’ requests, the SAD did not agree to jointly celebrate 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev,” Cabinet minister Charanjit Singh Channi told Wadala that he should “consult party whether they are ready to be part of the delegation”.
Earlier, while supporting the resolution, Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said that till the time the conditions were not waived, SGPC and Punjab government should equally share the burden of the $20 fee for pilgrims visiting Kartarpur Sahib. Cheema said pilgrims may be asked to carry Aadhar instead of passport.
The Kartarpur Corridor was opened on November 9 last year, linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib with Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’s Gurdaspur.
The Kartarpur Corridor was opened on November 9 last year, linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib with Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’s Gurdaspur. (File)
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