Sikh body opposes Pak move to give away gurdwara land

Amritsar, December 2

After learning that the Pakistan Government is all set to give away a part of the land of the historic Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the SGPC has objected to the move and requested it to immediately stop the same.

Harjinder Singh Dhami, SGPC president, said the land was donated in the name of Guru Ghar at Sri Nankana Sahib by a devotee of Sikh Gurus, Rai Bular Bhatti. He said the SGPC was informed by Bhatti’s descendents, who are living in the neighbouring country, that the Government of Pakistan had taken a decision to give about 60 per cent of the land in the name of Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib to a trust for some other purpose.

Rai Bular Bhatti was a contemporary of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev. Dhami said an ardent devotee of Guru Ghar, Bhatti had donated 750 maraba land as a tribute to the Guru. He said even today, Bhatti’s family had the same devotion for the Guru Ghar and the action had deeply hurt their sentiments.

Dhami asked the Evacuee Trust Property Board of Pakistan to take necessary steps to preserve the properties of gurdwaras. He asked the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee to file a case in the High Court of Pakistan against this decision.