Randhawa raises concern over $20 fee on Kartarpur pilgrims

Ravneet Singh
Tribune News Service
Patiala, October 21

Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa today raised doubts if the state government will be in a position to bear the cost of Rs 70 lakh per day ($20 per person) on sending pilgrims to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

He was talking to the mediapersons after flagging-off a bus carrying 16 rare and handwritten copies of Guru Granth Sahib to all five takhts in view of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev at Punjabi University here today.

He said, “Per person charge of 20 USD (Rs 1,400) on 5,000 pilgrims per day will come down to Rs 70 lakh per day. I don’t think any state government will be in a position to bear such cost.”

While talking about the deliberations with the SGPC over organising the events, he said the SGPC was a body of Sikhs and it should not represent a particular party. On allegations that the state government was not cooperating with the SGPC, he said, 

“The president and representatives of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) should introspect where they are wrong. Its representatives did not keep their word, while the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh. did not change his stand even once.”

While talking about the pandal set up by the SGPC, he said, “The Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee should use its funds on spreading the message of Sikhism.”

Asked about incidents of cross-border firing on the India-Pakistan border, the Minister of Jails said, “Corrs-border firing will not have any effect on the celebrations. It will not affect the celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev. 

“The preparations are going on and we will be able to complete all arrangement with in time,” he added.