Centre allows Sikh jatha to visit Pak, SGPC chief says nothing new

Amritsar, March 23

Amid reports that the Centre has allowed a jatha to visit Pakistan on Khalsa Sajna divas (Baisakhi), SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur said every year four jathas were sent to Pakistan and it was no different that the Centre approved it.

The SGPC has not yet received any communication in this regard. She said: “Rather, this has exposed the negative attitude of the Centre, which denied permission to the earlier jatha that was supposed to commemorate the centenary of Saka Nankana Sahib in February. If the Covid and security threat was there then, did it all get normal now? This has made it clear that the Centre had deliberately prevented Sikhs from participating in the Saka Nankana Sahib event. Sikhs can never forget the way Centre had stopped the jatha at the eleventh hour then.”

It is learnt the Home Ministry has send a fax message to the Chief Secretaries in which a detailed programme has been mentioned. — TNS