The Haryana unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has demanded an inquiry into alleged administrative lapses that prevented the state's Sikh pilgrims from travelling to Pakistan for the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev.
A total of 518 Sikh pilgrims crossed into Pakistan on June 10, while nearly 100 pilgrims from Haryana were turned back at the Attari border due to a lack of required government clearance. The SAD (Haryana) submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, alleging that state departments failed to submit the verified list of Haryana devotees to the Border Security Force on time. In contrast, Punjab and Delhi had submitted their lists on time, enabling their pilgrims to proceed with immigration formalities.
Allegations Against State Government
Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) President Jagdish Singh Jhinda blamed the state government for issuing the notification late. He claimed that the state's pilgrims had only nine days to prepare and submit documents. "We request the chief minister to issue notification for pilgrimage at least a month in advance. We accept the mistake, but it was the responsibility of the state government to notify in advance," he said.
The SAD has called for a thorough probe into the matter to prevent such incidents in the future. The party emphasized that the administrative lapses caused inconvenience and distress to the pilgrims who were unable to participate in the religious event.
