President Ram Nath Kovind, who is on his maiden visit to the State after taking office, on Thursday paid obeisance at the Golden Temple.
Covering his head with a white handkerchief, the President walked around the ‘parikarma’ of the shrine complex amidst heavy security cover, while there was negligible restriction for the devotees’ movement.
The President first went to the Guru Ram Das langar Hall — the largest community kitchen in the world — becoming the second President after Giani Zail Singh, in 1984, to have langar while sitting with common devotees in line.
later, he visited the sanctum sanctorum to offer prayers where he was given a ‘siropa’ (robe of honour) by the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) management.
Penning down his feelings on visiting the temple complex in the visitor’s diary, the President said: “I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to pay obeisance at the Darbar Sahib today.”
He added, “The power to eliminate all differences in Sikhism’s rich traditions of ‘pangat, sangat and langar’ was experienced by me. After watching devotees work here for everybody’s good, I feel proud of the humanitarian values of my countrymen.”
Kovind said: “I consider the divine experience that I felt here as blessings from the almighty and Guru Nanak Dev.”
The President was accompanied by senior functionaries of the SGPC including its president Kirpal Singh Badungar, and other officials, during the visit. The President’s family members also accompanied him.
Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and SAD president Sukhbir Badal also accompanied the President and his entourage. In the absence of the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, the state Cabinet Minister Rana Gurjit Singh was appointed standing minister from the state government for the President’s visit.
SGPC task force sewadars (volunteers) formed a security ring around the President, along with security
personnel in plain-clothes, during the visit.
Two radicals were also detained outside the Golden Temple who reportedly wanted to handover a memorandum to the President. They were identified as Jarnail Singh Sakhira — the general secretary of SAD (Amritsar) led by Simranjit Mann, and another as party's office secretary Harbir Singh.
later, SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar said that no talks were held on the Sikh issues. “He came for the first time as devotee so it was improper to divert his attention or burdening him with issues,” he said adding that the President was presented a Golden Temple model, shawl, and books as per traditions.
He added that the President was aware of the Sikh rehat maryada (customs and traditions), and was very humble.
later, the President also visited the Jallianwala Bagh.