The Tribune – Defying threat, Sikhs take out nagar kirtan in Pakistan

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 28. With tight security arrangements in place at Nankana Sahib, thousands of Sikh pilgrims from different countries today took out a nagar kirtan at the birth place of Guru Nanak Dev to mark his birth anniversary after a gap of over five years.

The development came despite the fact that the Taliban had threatened to target Indians in the aftermath of 26/11 perpetrator Ajmal Kasab’s hanging.

Talking to The Tribune over the phone from Pakistan, Bishen Singh, former president, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), said around 15,000 Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Dubai and the US participated in the nagar kirtan which started from Gurdwara Janam Asthan at 1 pm and culminated at Gurdwara Tambu Sahib around 4 pm.

He said it was after a gap of five years that the Sikhs could take out the nagar kirtan to mark the pious occasion. He praised the Pakistan government and the local administration for facilitating the smooth conduct of the programme.

He said the administration took various measures to extend safety to the pilgrims. “The shops in the area were shut while policemen could be seen keeping surveillance on the rooftops. Even the Muslim population came forward to greet the nagar kirtan which took place in a congenial atmosphere,” he said.

Bishen Singh said langars had been organised by various religious groups and the pilgrims did not face any problem. He said there would be “shabad kirtan” at midnight followed by “ardaas” at the Nankana Sahib to mark the occasion. He said they had been unable to celebrate the day on such scale in the last five years due to security concerns. “The atmosphere is such that due to terrorist activities even the timings and the routes for Moharram processions have been curtailed,” he added.

American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC) coordinator Dr Pritpal Singh said the religious procession was voluntarily stopped following threats from the Taliban a few years ago, but the Sikhs this time decided to take out the procession as the Pakistani Punjab government had made elaborate security arrangements.

Earlier, the “bhog” ceremony of the “akhand path” was organised at the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara. Later, various Sikh leaders, including Dr Pritpal, Avtar Singh Sangha of the Kar Sewa Society, UK, SGPC Jatha leader Jang Bahadur Singh and PSGPC president Sham Singh, addressed the gathering and spoke on various issues being faced by the community.

Dr Pritpal and other Sikh leaders are likely to meet Pakistani Punjab Chief Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and President Asif Ali Zardari over the next couple of days to deliberate on various Sikh issues with them.

Gurpurab celebrations

Massive gathering: Around 15,000 pilgrims from countries like India, US, Dubai, Malaysia etc participated

The concern: The Taliban had threatened to target Indians in the aftermath of 26/11 perpetrator Ajmal Kasab’s hanging

Tight security: The Pakistan Punjab government makes elaborate security arrangements for facilitating the smooth conduct of the programme

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121129/punjab.htm#1

The Tribune – Punjabi hospitality floors Canadian PM, wife

Prabhjot Singh, Tribune News Service

Anandpur Sahib, November 7. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper tried to assuage the hurt feelings of the Indian Government by promising not to permit activities of Sikh separatists on the Canadian soil while appeasing the Sikh community by paying obeisance at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib before visiting Virasat-e-Khalsa here today.

“It has been a wonderful experience. I visited the Golden Temple during my last visit,” he said. Harper was accompanied by his wife Laureen and seven Indo-Canadian MPs, including Tim Uppal, the first turbaned federal minister outside India.

Harper today became the first elected head of a state to visit Virasat-e-Khalsa.

He has also become the first Prime Minister to visit two of the five Takhts —Amritsar and Sri Anandpur Sahib — of the Sikhs.

It has become conventional for Canadian premiers to visit the Golden Temple when they visit India. The only exception was Paul Martin, the last Liberal Prime Minister of Canada. He avoided visiting the Golden Temple because the controversial Bill on same sex marriages was before Canadian parliament at that time.

Though Stephen Harper also had neither Amritsar nor Anandpur Sahib on his itinerary, it was the Punjab Government that persuaded the visiting dignitary to visit Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and the much-publicised Virasat-e-Khalsa, a “modern wonder”, during his day-long visit to the city.

Congratulating US President Barack Obama on his re-election, he said the stand of the Canadian Government on preventing activities of Sikh separatists on the Canadian soil was well-known and acceptable to the Indian Government.

“We are committed not to permit any secessionist activities on our soil,” he added.

He did not respond to another question about delay in signing of the free-trade agreement with India. The Punjab Government and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee rolled out red carpets for the Canadian premier and his wife. On arrival at the sanctum sanctorum, Punjab Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal and Food Supplies Minister Adaish Partap Singh Kairon received them. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal accompanied the Harpers from Chandigarh.

While Stephen Harper was presented a sword of honour besides a “siropa”, Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib Tarlochan Singh presented “siropas” to other members of his entourage. Later, Dalmegh Singh, SGPC secretary, presented a copy of the Sikh Encyclopaedia and a painting of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib to the visiting VIPs.

Though the police had converted the Takht Kesgarh Sahib complex into a fortress, movement of pilgrims was also restricted, especially when the Canadian guests were inside the gurdwara. Harpers spent more than 90 minutes there. Harper and his entourage will leave for Bangalore tomorrow morning.

Though a strong business delegation accompanied him, no meetings could be organised between members of the visiting delegation and captains of the Punjab trade and industry. (With inputs from Arun Sharma).

Virasat-e-Khalsa mesmerises Harper

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who after paying obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Takht Keshgarh Sahib, visited the Virasat-e-Khalsa and said it was a wonderful experience. Putting his comment in the visitors’ book, Harper said: “I am happy to be the first Prime Minister of any country to have paid a visit here.”

Business goes for a toss

Harper’s visit proved costly for shopkeepers around Gurdwara Sri Takht Keshgarh Sahib. As tight security was provided to the VVIP guest, the traders were told to keep their business establishments shut since Tuesday.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121108/main2.htm