The Centre will install a “high-powered telescope” in a Punjab border town where pilgrims now use binoculars to see a gurdwara in Pakistan that marks the place where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak is believed to have passed away.
Besides this, a decade-old-plan will be revived to grant “heritage city” status to Guru Nanak’s hometown Sultanpur Lodhi.
These were part of initiatives announced by culture minister Mahesh Sharma on Monday to mark the first Sikh Guru’s 549th birth anniversary.
Gurupurab, which is calculated based on a lunar calendar, falls on November 23, this year, and the government intends to complete these plans through the 550th year of the Guru’s birth.
“Our science and technology ministry will install a high-powered telescope and a big screen for people on our side of the border to be able to get a darshan (of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan’s Narowal district)…. The whole country will also be able to get a darshan,” minister Sharma said.
In August, the BJP accused the Congress of “promoting Pakistan’s interest” after Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu hugged Pakistan’s Gen. Qamar Bajwa during Imran Khan’s swearing in as Prime Minister.
Sidhu had said Bajwa had hugged him and said that a corridor for Indian pilgrims to Kartarpur may be opened for the 550th birth year celebrations.
Both Indian and Pakistan denied any formal communication on this, although Pakistan minister Fawad Chaudhry announced that the border would be opened. Union minister Harsimrat Badal called Sidhu a traitor for hugging Bajwa, and a sedition case was filed against him in Bihar.
The gurdwara is 3.5km from the Radcliffe Line that separates the two countries.
Asked if India would take up Pakistan on the offer, Sharma said: “External affairs and defence ministries are working on this. Until this is done, from our border itself, there is this plan to
give darshan… Sidhuji kuch agar karne chahein tho unka swagat hai (Sidhuji is welcome to make any attempt if he feels like).”
He announced that Chairs would be set up in varsities in Amritsar, London and Canada to study Sikhism. A National Institute of Interfaith Studies would also be set up. Culture secretary Arun Goel clarified that there was no detailed project report for the institute so far. The HRD ministry will be involved in this project.
A commemorative coin, stamp and a museum on train will also be launched, the minister told a media conference on Monday.