Amritsar, April 9, 2021 (Yes Punjab News)
The Central government has cut the names of 356 pilgrims from the list of jatha (group of pilgrims) sent to it by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), who had planned to go to Pakistan to celebrate Khalsa Sajna Diwas (Baisakhi), said SGPC assistant secretary S. Kulwinder Singh Ramdas.
S. Kulwinder Singh said, “The SGPC had sent 793 passports of the pilgrims for issuing visas, out of which 356 names were cut and only 437 visas were issued to the pilgrims.”
“SGPC is the apex body of the Sikh community and therefore, the Centre and the Pakistan Embassy in Delhi should approve the maximum number of names sent by the SGPC. The names of a large number of pilgrims have been cut off, which has caused a lot of resentment in the minds of the pilgrims. The maximum number of visas should be issued for visiting the shrines”, said Kulwinder Singh.
He said that the jatha which was going to Pakistan to celebrate Khalsa Sajna Diwas (Baisakhi) would leave the SGPC office at Amritsar on April 12, 2021, and would return to India on April 22, 2021, after visiting various Gurdwaras over there.
Covid-19 test camp at SGPC office
SGPC with the support of the health department organized a two-day camp at its office to conduct Covid-19 test of the pilgrims going to Pakistan. According to the guidelines of the health department, the Covid-19 test must be done 72 hours before going to another country.
Following this, a special camp is being organized on April 9 and 10 at the SGPC office under the direction of SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur. These tests are absolutely free in this camp for the pilgrims going to Pakistan. Many pilgrims had arrived at the SGPC office today to undergo the Covid-19 test.
