Punjab Opposition assures full support for Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary event

Opposition parties in Punjab assured Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh on Friday to extend their full support to the government in organising the main event to mark the 550th celebrations of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.

Singh raised the issue at a meeting with a delegation of MLAs representing all political parties here and urged them to rise above partisan lines to support the iconic event.

Calling the 550th Prakash Purb a historic occasion, the Chief Minister said everyone needs to be rise above their political affiliations to "ensure a befitting celebration in memory of the first Sikh Guru".

All parties, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP and Aam Adami Party, assured of their cooperation to the government.

The state government is the nodal agency for the main event slated to be held in November for the year-long celebrations.

Chief Minister Singh suggested that religious functions to be held inside the Gurdwaras can be handled by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), while other events would be undertaken by the government with the participation of representatives of all the parties.

He directed Tourism Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to hold further discussions with the various political parties to prepare a roadmap for ensuring smooth and successful conduct to the events to mark the grand occasion.

"Lakhs of Sikh and other devotees are expected to converge in Punjab from across the world for the celebrations, which the state government has planned on a mega-scale befitting the occasion," the government said.