140 Sikh, Hindu pilgrims turned away by Taliban

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 26

The Taliban have prevented a contingent of 140 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, slated to arrive from Kabul today on an annual pilgrimage to attend the celebrations of 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur at a Delhi gurdwara, from leaving the country.

It is learnt, the group, carrying two sets of Guru Granth Sahib ‘saroops’ and a Hindu deity’s idol, had hired a bus from Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul for the international airport, 10 km away. They all possessed valid visas meant for pilgrimage to India.

Guljeet Singh, president of Gurdwara Guru Nanak Sahib, Vikaspuri, New Delhi, said the pilgrims were turned away from the airport by the Taliban after they waited for more than 15 hours. Singh, who is of Afghan origin, said as per the Taliban’s recent dictate, those belonging to Afghanistan would seldom be allowed to leave the country.

Had Af passports

The Taliban checked their documents and turned them away for possessing Afghan passports. —Guljeet Singh, A delhi gurdwara president

“Each year, our community organises pilgrimages to India on special occasions. The pilgrimage to the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur was planned six months ago. After the suspension of commercial flights due to the political unrest, we had urged the Government of India to facilitate their journey and it was arranged. But the Taliban checked their documents and turned them away for possessing Afghan passports,” he said.

Partap Singh, also of Afghan origin and president of Gurdwara Guru Arjan Dev, New Mahavir Nagar, said a ‘kirtan darbar’ was scheduled at the gurdwara for August 29 (Sunday). “Many member of our community from various parts of the world have already arrived to attend the event, but sadly our brothers and sisters from Afghanistan were not allowed to travel,” he said.

Puneet Singh, president, Indian World Forum, has urged the Taliban to facilitate an early departure of pilgrims. “The Sikh and Hindu communities have significantly contributed to the development of Afghanistan. They should be granted safe passage,” he said.