Kartarpur Gurudwara management row, MEA summons Pakistan High Commission Diplomat

Ministry of External Affairs summoned a diplomat of Pakistan High Commission on Friday, following the uproar over the transfer of management and maintenance of Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib to a non-Sikh body. The MEA spokesperson stated that Pakistan needs to 'reverse its arbitrary decision' while adding that India's 'protest was lodged' after the Pakistan diplomat was summoned. This came just a day after India condemned the 'unilateral decision' taken by Pakistan on November 3 to take away the administrative control from Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandhak Committee (PSGPC) which is run by the minority Sikh community and hand it over to a non-Sikh body, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). 

"Pakistan High Commission CDA was summoned and our protest was lodged. We've conveyed that this decision runs against the spirit of Kartarpur corridor & Pakistan needs to reverse its arbitrary decision," said the MEA spokesperson

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"Highly condemnable decision"

In an official statement issued by the MEA on November 5, the Ministry stated that the move is 'highly condemnable' while adding that it targets the 'religious sentiments of the Sikh community at large'. The Minister informed that they have received several representations from the community which have expressed severe concerns over the decision taken by Pakistan. The Ministry strongly condemned the action stating that it 'exposes the reality of the Pakistan government' while calling upon the country to 'reverse its arbitrary decision'. 

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"This unilateral decision by Pakistan is highly condemnable and runs against the spirit of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor as also the religious sentiments of the Sikh community at large. We have received representations from the Sikh community expressing grave concern at this decision by Pakistan targeting the rights of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan," read the statement from MEA.

"Such actions only expose the reality of the Pakistani government and its leadership’s tall claims of preserving and protecting the rights and welfare of the religious minority communities. Pakistan is called upon to reverse its arbitrary decision to deprive the Sikh minority community it’s right to manage affairs of the Holy Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib," it further read.

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Pakistan targets Sikh Community

Pakistan has been known to target the minority communities, From Karachi's Lee Market to Sindh's Badin, all have been targeted and made to feel inferior to the citizens of Pakistan. In an official order issued by the Pakistan Government announced the establishment of ETPB as the administrative body for the maintenance and management of Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib. A copy of the order, which was accessed by Republic World, informs the concerned officials that they have been relieved from their duties 'with immediate effect'. 

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This comes just days after the PSGPC announced the decision to celebrate the first anniversary of the inauguration of the historic Kartarpur Corridor on November 9. On the other hand, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) stated that 'it has not received any instructions to celebrate the first anniversary of the inauguration of the corridor so far', in an attempt to distance itself from the PSGPC initiative. The Kartapur corridor is a 4-km long corridor that links the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur in India to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, which was the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev who was the founder of Sikh faith. The Corridor was formally inaugurated as a part of the commemoration ceremony of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 9, 2019. 

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(With inputs from ANI)