Canadian Parvasi Issue 15 November 2019

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The International News Weekly November 15, 2019 | Toronto 04PM opens Kartarpur corridor, thanks ImranDera Baba Nanak: PrimeMinister Narendra Modi onSaturday inaugurated the IntegratedCheck Post (ICP) at DeraBaba Nanak and flagged off thefirst batch of pilgrims travellingto Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, KartarpurSahib in Pakistan via thenewly-constructed Kartarpurcorridor.The gurdwara is about 4.5km inside the Pakistan territoryfrom Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspurdistrict of Punjab.Before inaugurating the corridor,he interacted with themembers of first jatha (batch)to Pakistan via the corridor andtook a guided tour of digital installationon life of Guru NanakDev and the passenger terminalbuilding (PTB) at the Dera BabaNanak ICP.Earlier, addressing a gatheringat Shikar Machhian village,nearly 7 km from ICP, Modi emphasisedon the importance ofGuru Nanak’s message of “kiratkaro, naam japo and vandchhako”. He said Guru Nanaktaught the importance of livingby true values and also gave aneconomic system based on honestyand self-confidence. Statingthat he felt honoured to dedicatethe Kartapur corridor to the nation,he called for upholding theteachings and values of BabaNanak.On the occasion, he also releaseda commemorative coincelebrating 550th birth anniversaryof Guru Nanak. TheShiromani Gurudwara PrabhandakCommittee (SGPC) honouredModi with “Qaumi SevaAward”, which he dedicated toGuru Nanak.For completing the Kartarpurcorridor in a short timeframe, he expressed gratitudetowards the Punjab governmentand the SGPC, and also hailedPakistan PM Imran Khan forunderstanding the sentiments ofIndians and acting accordingly.He also expressed gratitude towardsthose involved in the constructionof the corridor on bothsides of the border.Modi also talked about abrogationof Article 370 in Jammuand Kashmir and how it benefitedSikhs. “Removing of Article370 from J&K will now helpthe Sikh community in J&K andLeh, as they will get the samerights as other citizens of thecountry,” he said, adding thatnow the Citizenship AmendmentBill would also make iteasy for the migrant Sikhs tobecome citizens of the country.“Besides being a guru, GuruNanak Dev is a thought, the basisof life. Our values, culture,our thoughts, our thinking, ourupbringing, our reasoning, ourspeech, all of these have beenhoned by pious souls like GuruNanak,” he said.Sidhu sends Modihug from PakKartarpur (Pakistan): As he hogged the limelight at theinaugural function of Kartarpur corridor, former Punjab cabinetminister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday sung paeans ofPakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. He also thanked PrimeMinister Narendra Modi, by sending him a hug.“I am thanking Modi ji also, it doesn’t matter if we have politicaldifferences, doesn’t matter if my life is dedicated to Gandhifamily, and I am sending a Munnabhai MBBS style hug toyou Modi sahib for this. We have to rise above parties,” saidSidhu in an emotional speech loaded with couplets.Referring to him as ‘Sohna Yaar’ and ‘Yaar Dildar’, Sidhuhailed Imran Khan as a ‘Sikandar’, who has won the hearts of14 crore Sikhs. “I have brought a trolley-full of good wishes foryou. It’s not about the corridor but about giving a message. Notmuch can be done in 10 months, but you have turned this placeinto heaven in this period. You proved to be a true friend. Forthe first time the barbed wires have fallen after partition,” hesaid. Without naming Gen Bajwa, Sidhu sought to clarify hiscontroversial embrace to him during the swearing in of ImranKhan. “My corridor is love and my embrace is also ‘muhabbat’love. We should keep embracing and resolve all issues. Thenwhy would mothers lose their sons at the borders in vain,” hesaid in his trademark style, cheering the crowds with 'ThokoTalli'.“You have brought solace to the wounds of partition whenboth Punjabs were drenched in blood,” said Sidhu, adding “Peoplesay your credit, my credit. It is Guru’s grace that did it. It isa noble and courageous PM who did it. No one did it in 72 years,no one listened to the Sikhs. The embrace has paid off,” he said.The Kartarpur corridor, connecting Dera Baba Nanakshrine in India’s Punjab with Darbar Sahib in Narowal districtin Pakistan’s Punjab, was thrown open today.
The International News Weekly November 15, 2019 | Toronto05Jathas via Wagah still popular as10-day pilgrimage costs `2,000Amritsar: As much asthe corridor was hailed,devotees are beginning torealise that it is perhapsmost cost effective — aswell as adventurous — ifthey skip the corridorroute and take the regularcrossing via Attari border.The $20 service feehas hiked up the expenseso much that devotees feelthat it does not make senseto pay more than Rs 1,400for five to six hour, popin,pop-out trip, when theycan pay obeisance in overa dozen Sikh shrines in 10days on little less than Rs2,000, with the added attractionof visiting Lahoreand other cities.“Pakistan visa fee isRs 120 and return trainfare from Attari to Lahore,Nankana Sahib and Hassanabdalis Rs 1,870. Pilgrimscan stay free of costin gurdwaras and partakelangar,” Swaran SinghGill, president of NankanaSahib Sikh Teerath YatreeJatha, told media.Pakistan has levied $20(Rs 1,438) as service fee forusing the Kartarpur corridorto reach GurdwaraDarbar Sahib, KartarpurSahib. “Only Sikh leadersand rich people can affordto pay $20 for pilgrimageof few hours to one gurdwara.Middle class familiesor poor people can’t affordthat,” said Surjit Singh, aresident of Delhi, who hadgone to Pakistan alongwith a Sikh jatha (delegation)to celebrate the 550thbirth anniversary of GuruNanak Dev.He said before applyingfor visa to travel to Pakistanvia Attari along witha Sikh jatha, he had comparedthe cost and foundthat travelling through Attariwas not only cheap butone gets to pay obeisancein over a dozen gurdwaras.“One-way taxi farefrom Amritsar to DeraBaba Nanak is around Rs2,000 and every pilgrimhas to pay $20 to visit KartarpurSahib. We are notallowed to go beyond thegurdwara complex andreturn by evening, whichmeans one can’t even participatecompletely in religiousrituals,” Surjit said.He is of the opinion thatpeople may go via Kartarpurcorridor just out of curiosity,but once the hypesettles down, they wouldsee merit in taking the Attariroute. For BikramjitSingh, the fact that onecould pay obeisance in atleast 14 historical gurdwaras,including GurdwaraDarbar Sahib, if travellingwith jatha, sealedthe deal. “Then there is thecharm of visiting Lahore,which is famous for itsstreet food, and interactingwith locals. These are notpossible while travelling toPakistan via the Kartarpurcorridor,” he said.But with the suspensionof train services, pilgrimsfaced a tough time,they alleged that EvacueeTrust Property Board(ETPB) officials exploitedtheir zeal to celebrate550th anniversary of GuruNanak.According to a few pilgrimsfrom a jatha thatreturned on Thursday,,on reaching Wagah (Pakistan),they were made topay exorbitant bus fares.“From Wagah to NankanaSahib, we were chargedRs 1,200. From NankanaSahib to Punja Sahib andKartarpur Sahib, we werecharged Rs 2,200 and Rs2,000 respectively. FromNankana Sahib to Lahoreand Wagah, we were madeto pay Rs 1,200 to the ETPBofficials, who had set upa special counter for thepurpose,” alleged AmarjitSingh, a pilgrim.Bikramjit said, for thefirst time, ETPB officialsopenly asked pilgrims topay bus fares. “We alsoapproached the PakistanSikh Gurdwara ParbandhakCommittee, but theychose to ignore us,” headded.Meanwhile, ETPBpublic relations officerAmir Hashmi dismissedthe allegations. “This isnot true,” he insisted,adding that around 1,200Indian pilgrims returnedon Thursday, while about2,000 had retuned to Indiaon Wednesday.Prez attends Pb govt, SGPCevents, even speaks PunjabiSultanpur Lodhi:Grand celebrations tomark the 550th ParkashPurb of Guru Nanak Devculminated on Tuesday,with President Ram NathKovind attending functionsof both the Punjabgovernment and theShiromani GurdwaraParbandhak Committee(SGPC), which is underthe control of ShiromaniAali Dal (SAD).After paying obeisanceat Gurdwara Ber Sahib,the President, accompaniedby wife Savita Kovind,first attended the Punjabgovernment function.In his brief speeches atboth the places, he emphasizedon life and teachingsof Guru Nanak and said itwas a privilege for him tobe in Sultanpur Lodhi, theland where Guru NanakDev attained enlightenment.He spoke in Hindi atthe Punjab governmentevent. Though he startedin Punjabi at the SGPCevent, he switched to Hindiafter a couple of minutes.He focused on thefirst Sikh Guru’s messageof universal humanism,egalitarianism and acasteless society, and alsorecalled the principle of‘Kirt Karo, Naam Japo,Wand Chhako’. “True followersof Guru Nanakwork for the welfare ofall, live in harmony anddo their job with diligenceand honesty,” he said.In his speech, Punjabchief minister AmarinderSingh announced that hewould speak with PrimeMinister Narendra Modiand ask him to prevailupon Pakistan to grantIndian devotees open accessto other historic gurdwarasacross the border.Expressing gratitudeto Prime Minister NarendraModi and PakistanPM Imran Khan for helpingrealise the Sikh community’sdream of visitingthe Kartarpur gurdwara,Amarinder hoped thiswould be followed by freeaccess to Indian devoteesto more such gurdwarasin Pakistan.“I shall take up thematter with PM Modi jiand urge him to raise theissue with Imran Khan tofacilitate the realisationof the Sikh community’sdream to visit those gurdwaras,”he said.Unlike his address atDera Baba Nanak, CM didnot speak anything negativeabout Pakistan. TheCM also acknowledged thesupport given by the centralgovernment in makingthe historic celebrationsa success.His was the first speechafter the Bhog (conclusion)of Sehaj Path (recitationof Guru Granth Sahibwith intervals) and GurbaniKirtan and then heinvited the President tospeak. Punjab governorV P S Badnore and RajasthanCM Ashok Gehlotwere also present.Amarinder also announcedhis government’sdecision to honour PunjabPolice personnel whoserved during this grandand extended celebrationwith ‘Parkash PurbTagma (medal)’ for theirservice.He also announcedthat the 550th ParkashPurb celebrations, whichcommenced last year,would continue till November2020.Addressing a religiouscongregation after thebhog of ‘Sri Sehaj Path’,the CM said as per his government’sdecision to release550 convicts prematurelyto mark the historicoccasion, 450 had alreadybeen freed, while otherswould be released over thenext few months.The CM underlined theimportance of followingGuru Nanak’s message onrespecting nature.
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Canadian Parvasi Issue 15 November 2019

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