Hitting out at SAD for politicizing the auspicious 550th prakash purb of Guru Nanak Dev, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday accused them of obstructing joint celebration of the historic event, even as he flayed the denial of permission or visa to the Punjab Ministers, MPs and MLAs to visit Sri Nankana Sahib.
“The occasion is one of pride, which State Government wanted to celebrate collectively, rising above petty political considerations,” said Capt Amarinder, talking informally to the media-persons while reviewing the arrangements for the commemorative events.
However, the Akali Dal scuttled all attempts of the State Government to ensure joint celebrations, said the Chief Minister, terming it sheer pettiness on the part of the Akalis, particularly Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
Pointing out that Punjab Government had spent Rs 550 crores to ensure befitting celebration of the momentous event, Capt Amarinder said that the entire occasion had been transformed to a “political drama” by the Akalis, backed by their allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
On the denial of visa to his Cabinet colleagues and other Punjab representatives to visit Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the Chief Minister termed it as “extremely unfortunate”.
“Politics should have been kept aside on this religious occasion,” he asserted, while reiterating his protest against Islamabad’s refusal to withdraw the 20 dollar fee on pilgrims visiting Kartarpur Gurdwara via the corridor.
He urged the Imran Khan led Pakistan Government to be large-hearted, keeping in view Sikh sentiment and tradition.
Asked if the State Government was ready to pay the said amount on behalf of the pilgrims, Capt Amarinder said that he was, in principle, against giving anything to Pakistan on this count.
On Pakistan’s invitation to Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the Kartarpur Corridor inauguration, the Chief Minister asked the media-persons to ask his former cabinet colleague about it.
In response to a question, Captain Amarinder rejected as ‘crap’ SAD’s claims on Central Government funding the majority of the development projects to commemorate the 550th prakash purb.
“The Centre gave money for only two projects, and one of them was only partially funded by them,” he said, adding that the State Government had already spent Rs 550 crores and would be spending more on infrastructural development and various events.
The Chief Minister, who reviewed the progress of work of Kartarpur Corridor, which will be opening for devotees on November 9 at Zero Line (India-Pakistan International Border, Dera Baba Nanak), said that all work undertaken by the State Government was complete.
“Only the work on the Integrated Check Post of the Land Port Authority was still continuing under the Central Government’s supervision,” he said, but was hopeful it would also be completed by November 9.
DERA BABA NANAK READY TO WELCOME 30k PILGRIMS A DAY
The historic Dera Baba Nanak is all set to witness an exciting convergence of a whopping 30,000 pilgrims a day for four days from November 8.
To accommodate the pilgrims, many of whom will be coming from distant lands, the Punjab Government has turned a sprawling 30-acre-land into a well-equipped tented city including 544 European style tents, 100 Swiss cottages and 20 Darbar style accommodations, with capacity to put up around 3,500 people a day.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who inspected the tented city as well as the main pandal for the main event on Thursday, expressed satisfaction at the arrangements. The main pandal has a capacity for 30,000 pilgrims, expected to converge here on each day of the Dera Baba Nanak Utsav, from November 8 to 11.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the public utility arrangements, including drinking water and langar facilities. The Langar Hall is designed to serve 1500 persons at a time, with a kitchen equipped with modern facilities.
The Tented City project, developed at Rs 4.2 crores, has a mix of European Type (EP) accommodation, which can take in six persons (with 140 separate bathrooms and 140 washrooms constructed to meet their basic needs), Swiss Cottage (SC) for two persons each, with attached bathroom, and Darbar Tent (DT), also having attached bathroom, for accommodating four persons each—which works out to 3544 persons.
The booking or registration is free and can be done both online and offline. Online booking will start on November 2.
CM DEDICATES Rs 96 CR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN SULTANPUR LODHI
To mark the 550th prakash purb of Guru Nanak Dev, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday dedicated a slew of projects in Sultanpur Lodhi, worth around Rs 96 crores, to the people of Punjab.
Capt Amarinder, digitally inaugurating the projects at a public gathering, termed them as the State Government’s humble contribution to commemorate 550th prakash purb at Sultanpur Lodhi, where he spent over 18 years of his life and attained enlightenment.
“These projects would further ensure the holistic development of the holy city, besides facilitating millions of devotees expected to arrive from across the globe to pay their obeisance on this sacred occasion,” said the Chief Minister, who also reviewed the arrangements for mega celebrations scheduled at Sultanpur Lodhi on the historic occasion.
The Chief Minister called upon the people to light a diya (lamp) at their homes in the evening as a humble tribute to Guru Nanak Dev, whose 550th prakash purb’s main event would be held at Sultanpur Lodhi on November 12.
Among the projects launched were three high level bridges, constructed over Holy Kali Bein at a cost of Rs 9.30 crore, as well as six roads repaired and widened at a cost of Rs 30.72 crores, special repair of 13 roads leading to Sultanpur Lodhi has also been completed at a cost of Rs 31.30 crores, to ensure smooth flow of traffic, especially during the mega event. A state-of-the-art rest house has also been constructed at a cost of Rs 2.39 crores.
To facilitate devotees to take a dip in the holy Kali Bein, the State Government has already completed the work of lining, cleaning and fencing of the Bein, besides strengthening its left and right side banks by providing boulder stone
pitching at a cost of Rs 10.81 crores.
Captain Amarinder Singh further inaugurated the ‘Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Bio Diversity Park’ and a conservation forest set up at Bir Shikargah on Kanjli Road Kapurthala at a cost of Rs 2.59 crores.
To meet the immediate and projected power supply demand during the mega event, the Chief Minister also dedicated a first-of-its-kind underground cable fed 66 KV Sub Station in Sultanpur Lodhi at a cost of Rs 11 crores. An upgraded bus stand constructed at a cost of Rs 5.97 crores was also inaugurated.
The Chief Minister directed the state transport department to ensure plying of special buses within the state to facilitate devotees, and also asked them to provide free services of intra-city mini buses and e-rickshaws.
The projects inaugurated on Thursday were in addition to some other major projects already completed by the State Government namely the Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Centre for Invention, Innovation, Incubation and Training (CIIIT) at a cost of Rs 319 crores, as well as the Bebe Nanki University College for Girls besides Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Auditorium, constructed at a cost of Rs 20 crores.