India slams Pakistan after it gazumps control of Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara; says 'reverse'

India has responded to media reports that PM Imran Khan-led Pakistan government has transferred the management and the maintenance of the Holy Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib away from the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC). In a statement, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava has said that his unilateral decision is highly condemnable, against the spirit of Karatarpur Sahib corridor and religious sentiments of the Sikh community.

'Highly condemnable, against the spirit of Karatarpur Sahib corridor'

"Such actions expose the reality of the Pakistan government and its leadership's tall claims of preserving and protecting the rights and welfare of the religious minorities communities. Pakistan is called upon to reverse its arbitrary decision to deprive the Sikh minority community its right to manage affairs of the Holy Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib," India said in a strong-worded statement. 

The Pakistan Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) on November 3 officially took away the full control of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Punjab's Narowal District from Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandhak Committee and gave it to Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), a Muslim body. The ETPB manages religious properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan.

"Consequent upon the approval of Project Management Unit (PMU) Kartarpur Corridor by ECC of the Cabinet, and ratified by the Cabinet (conveyed by MoRA...dated 23.10.2020), the competent authority has been pleased to establish Project Management Unit (PMU), a self-financing body, for Management and Maintenance of Gurdwara Dardar Sahib Kartarpur (GADSK) under the administrative control of ETPB." the official order by Government of Pakistan read.

It added, "All officers/ official...are relieved from their duties with immediate effect with directions to join their new place of posting forthwith."

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Earlier on October 29, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) had announced that they will celebrate the first anniversary of the inauguration of the historic Kartarpur Corridor on November 9. However, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) had distanced itself from the PSGPC’s initiative, saying "it has not received any instructions to celebrate the first anniversary of the inauguration of the corridor so far."

The 4-km long corridor links Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur in India to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan - the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev. On November 9, 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan had formally inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor as part of the commemoration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak at a colourful ceremony.

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(With PTI inputs)