SGPC wants separate web portal for Hemkund Sahib pilgrims’ registration

GS Paul

Amritsar, May 29

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has put a demand to set up a pilgrims’ registration portal for those aspiring to visit Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand, besides re-establishment of historic shrine in Haridwar district with the Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami today.

Uttarakhand CM was in Amritsar today to campaign in favour of BJP candidate Taranjit Singh Sandhu and paid obeisance at the Golden Temple.

SGPC secretary Partap Singh and Golden Temple manager Bhagwant Singh Dhangera acknowledged his visit and honoured him with a Golden Temple model and a set of religious literature.

Later, when asked, Dhami said that the issues would be taken into consideration after discussing with the local authorities concerned.

In the backdrop, the SGPC had objected over the Uttarakhand Government’s recent move making it mandatory for the pilgrims, who want to visit Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib, to get themselves registered with the Hindu pilgrimage circuit — ‘Chaar Dhaam Yatra — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, in Uttarakhand, before proceeding to the Sikh shrine.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said that reports were received that the pilgrims, enroute to Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib, were being allowed to proceed only after procuring registration card of the Chaar Dham Yatra being issued from Gurdwara Sri Rishikesh.

He said that the Uttarakhand CM was asked to roll back this decision or if necessary, a separate registration process could be adopted.

Dhami said that the Sikh shrines have their own unique identity which could never be clubbed with the shrines of any other religion. “It hurt the Sikh sentiments. We have already written a letter to Uttarakhand CM earlier and took up the same matter in person with him today,” he added.

Another issue taken up by the SGPC was the reconstruction of Gurdwara Gyan Godri in Uttarakhand, visited by Guru Nanak Dev. This gurdwara was located on the Har Ki Pauri till 1976, after which it was removed on the assurance that it would be rebuilt after beautification work in the area. However, this has not been done so far. SGPC demanded that this shrine should be re-established on the original site of Har Ki Pauri keeping in view the Sikh sentiments.