Prime Minister Narendra Modi has acceded to the request of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to attend the key function being held to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhs’ first master Guru Nanak Dev on November 12 at Sultanpur Lodhi.
A SAD delegation, led by its president Sukhbir Badal, comprising Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Sri Patna Sahib Board representative Avtar Singh Hit, and Rajya Sabha MP Balwinder Singh Bhundur met the Prime Minister on Monday to invite him to attend the November 12 function at Sultanpur Lodhi.
The delegation also apprised him about various programmes being held to mark the 550th anniversary.
Sukhbir, after the meeting, said that the Prime Minister had agreed to attend the function and even instructed the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate the nagar kirtan commencing from Sri Nankana Sahib in Pakistan — the birth place of the great Guru — on July 25.
Meanwhile, the delegation apprised the Prime Minister that the Sikh sangat worldwide wanted to mark the 550th anniversary celebrations by holding appropriate commemorative functions at all places visited by Guru Nanak Dev.
The Prime Minister assured to facilitate these functions through Indian Missions abroad and also assured to provide all needed support to the organizers.
The SGPC is preparing a list of venues where functions will be held and the same will be released to the Sikh sangat soon.