AMRITSAR: A Jatha of 1763 Sikh devotees was sent off by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee today to participate in the events to be held in Pakistan on the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Diwas (Vaisakhi) amidst the echo of Khalsa chants.
While leaving the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee office, the Jatha led by SGPC's interim member Surjit Singh Tugalwal, General Manager Harbhajan Singh Supervisor along with other prominent personalities were felicitated by SGPC's Chief Secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan, Secretary Balwinder Singh Kahlwan and other officials by donning sarees and garlands of flowers.
While sending off the jatha, SGPC Chief Secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan said that this jatha will participate in the Khalsa Sajna Diwas Baisakhi celebrations at Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib Hassan Abdal in Pakistan. Similarly, the jatha will visit Gurdwara Janam Asthan Sri Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sri Sacha Sauda Sahib, Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib Sri Kartarpur Sahib, Gurdwara Dehra Sahib Lahore, Gurdwara Rori Sahib Eminabad and other Gurdwaras before returning to India on April 19. S. Mannan demanded that the corridor opened for the darshan of Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib on the occasion of the 550th Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, which has been closed for some time, should be opened immediately keeping in mind the sentiments of the Sangat. He said that this is a matter related to the Sikh faith, which the governments of India and Pakistan should pay immediate attention to.
On this occasion, the leader of the Jatha, the Interim Committee Member S. Surjit Singh Tugalwal, while talking, said that every Sikh has a longing in his heart to visit the Gurdwaras located in Pakistan and Sikhs feel blessed when they get the time to visit. He said that it is a matter of pride for me that the Shiromani Committee President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has given me the opportunity to lead the Jatha. He also thanked the Shiromani Committee President for this.
At the time of the departure of the Jatha, a large number of Shiromani Committee staff and pilgrims including Chief Secretary of the Shiromani Committee S. Kulwant Singh Mannan, Secretary S. Balwinder Singh Kahlwan, Additional Secretary S. Bijay Singh, S. Preetpal Singh, Deputy Secretary S. Gurnam Singh, S. Balwinder Singh Khairabad, S. Manjit Singh Talwandi, S. Harbhajan Singh Wakta, S. Sukhbir Singh, Superintendent S. Nishan Singh, S. Malkit Singh Beharwal, S. Jagjit Singh Incharge Yatra, S. Major Singh, S. Gurmeet Singh, Bibi Ranjit Kaur were present.