Calendar row casts shadow on SGPC jatha to Pak

Amritsar, May 9

Owing to the Nanakshahi Calendar row, the SGPC may not send pilgrimage to Pakistan that was scheduled to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev.

On the other hand, the other organisations have all set to send their jathas.

The SGPC follows the amended version of Nanakshahi Calendar and has been commemorating the occasion on June 7.

The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Managing Committee, which follows the original Nanakshahi Calendar, has been observing the occasion on June 16.

The SGPC had sent documents of 80 pilgrims. It has been learnt that the Pakistan authorities were not obliging the SGPC’s demand for visas between June 5 and 14 to visit Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore to mark the occasion. According to norms, a maximum of 10-day visa is granted.

Officials said the Pakistan had agreed to grant visa between June 14 and 23.

Dr Roop Singh, SGPC chief secretary, said under the given circumstances, it would not be possible to send jatha. “The dates given by the Pakistan authorities do not suit our schedule. We will try to convince them, but if they don’t agree we will have to cancel the pilgrimage plan,” he said. — TNS