Centre denied nod to most names for delegation to Nankana Sahib, alleges Punjab minister

Punjab minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday alleged that a majority of names in a state government delegation, which was proposed to visit Nankana Sahib in connection with the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, were not approved by the Centre.

This was done by the Centre at the best of the Shiromani Akali Dal, he alleged in a statement, adding that the Punjab government wanted to hold an "akhand path" at Nankana Sahib from October 31 to November 2.

"But out of 31 names sent by the state government, only 11 officers and journalists were accorded nod and that too on the afternoon of October 29, whereas permission was denied to the Lok Sabha MPs, ministers and the MLAs belonging to Punjab. All this was done at the behest of the SAD," he alleged.

"Denying the nod is not only unconstitutional but a grave danger to the federal structure of the country," he said, adding that the Centre and the SAD were out to "create roadblocks" in the 550th Parkash Purb celebrations.

"The BJP Government and the SAD were engaged in dirty politics concerning the Parkash Purb celebrations and their actions have proved that they are totally anti to the philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev, which is based on universal brotherhood," he said.

Earlier in the day speaking at an event at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala, Punjab's Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu alleged that the SAD was creating hurdles in the joint celebrations by the Punjab government and the SGPC.

"Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has made concerted efforts in this regard and had even constituted a special group of ministers for better coordination with the SGPC but the SAD, which controls the strings of the SGPC, created hurdles," he alleged, adding that the SAD was trying to gain political mileage.