PM Modi to attend Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary event: SAD

On Saturday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would preside over a function to commemorate 550th birth anniversary of founder of Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Dev on vember 9. He said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of several states would be present at vember 11 function at Sultanpur Lodhi. On or hand, President Ram Nath Kovind would attend main event on vember 12. According to Badal, function would take place from vember 1 to vember 12. It is said that first Sikh Guru stayed at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district for more than 14 years and attained enlightenment.

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‘Propagate mess of Guru Nanak Dev’ 

Speaking in West Bengal, Badal urged Sikh community to visit both Sultanpur Lodhi and Kartarpur Sahib. Revealing that Kartarpur corridor would be opened on vember 9, he observed that people could pay obeisance at historic gurudwara in Pakistan. He called upon people to leave stone unturned in propagation of mess of Guru Nanak Dev. Furrmore, he asked m to ensure that new generation would get acquainted with teachings of first Sikh Guru. 

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Kartarpur corridor

Kartarpur corridor connects Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur with  Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Punjab. While foundation stone was laid last year on both Indian and Pakistani sides, project has been stuck due to some disagreements. Essentially, Pakistan has proposed levying a hefty service charge of $20 on pilgrims. Indian government has officially opposed this. However, or modalities in form of visa-free travel and number of pilgrims have been finalised. 

Read | Punjab CM At Dera Baba Nanak, Reviews Work On Kartarpur Corridor

Prisoners to be released 

Earlier, Home Ministry anunced that 8 Sikh prisoners lodged in different jails of country would be released on occasion of  550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev as a humanitarian gesture. se individuals were convicted of crimes committed during militancy period in Punjab. Furrmore, government has commuted death sentence of a Sikh prisoner to life imprisonment. se decisions were taken as a result of persistent demand from sections of Sikh community. 

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(With PTI inputs)