New Delhi, November 26
After paying obeisance at the Gurdwara Bangla Sahib here on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today that his government would explore all possible ways to ensure that Sikhs were able to travel freely on pilgrimage to the Sikh shrines in Pakistan.

“Every Sikh prays for visiting Nankana Sahib and other gurdwaras in Pakistan ... the government will explore all possible ways to ensure that Sikhs are able to travel freely to gurdwaras across the border,” the Prime Minister said on the occasion.

He was accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur.

The Prime Minister gave the assurance after the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) requested him to do away with the quota system for pilgrims to Pakistan and start a bus service from Delhi to Nankana Sahib, besides exempting the contributions made by Indian Sikhs for kar seva at Nankana Sahib, which began today, from income tax.

On the turban issue in France, the Prime Minister, speaking in Punjabi, said he was in touch with the French Government since he assumed office and expressed hope that it would be resolved soon.

The Prime Minister, who spent 45 minutes at the gurdwara, was presented with a siropa, shawl, sword, plaque and a book on Sikhism. The Prime Minister’s wife was also given a siropa and a shawl.

The Prime Minister asked the Sikh community to start a movement to ensure women empowerment and education to both boys and girls.