Resolution on passport waiver for Kartarpur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 25

The Punjab Vidhan Sabha today passed a resolution, seeking waiver of passport and simplification of the process for visiting Kartarpur Sahib. It also urged the Central government to ask Pakistan to slash the $20 fee for Indian pilgrims.

Punjab Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa moved the resolution. Speaking in support of the resolution, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said he would lead an all-party delegation from Punjab to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over both demands.

The Chief Minister, responding to MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala’s suggestion that the state government should take up these issues with the Centre, asked him to simultaneously take up the issue with Union Minister Harsimrat Badal for an early resolution in the larger interest of the devotees.

While moving the resolution, Randhawa said the Kartarpur Corridor had opened on November 9, 2019, after decades of ardas by Nanak Naam Leva Sangat. The resolution pointed out that many people keen on visiting Kartarpur Sahib do not have a passport and are therefore unable undertake the pilgrimage. Besides, devotees are facing hardships due to the “difficult” online registration, read the resolution. The House urged the Punjab Government to take up the issues with the Centre so that the latter could impress upon the Pakistan Government to remove the condition of passport and allow other documents.