Kartarpur Corridor: SGPC chief asks Pb govt to bear USD 20 service fee

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Thursday asked the Punjab government to bear the USD 20 service fee being charged by Pakistan for visiting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, a day after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh urged the apex religious body to bear the amount.

SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal, in a statement, said the SGPC was already managing the accommodation and food arrangements for the Indian Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan.

"Moreover, the SGPC has very limited funds, whereas the Punjab government has various financial resources and should bear the USD 20 fee rather than asking the SGPC to foot the same," he said.

The Punjab chief minister had on Wednesday asked the SGPC to pay out of their own coffers the USD 20 service fee being charged by Pakistan for visiting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.

Pointing to the "lavish spends" of the SGPC on holding separate programmes to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in Sultanpur Lodhi on Tuesday, Singh had said it was evident that the religious body was flush with funds.

Singh had said the low number of devotees crossing over to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib was not because of lack of interest but due to two conditions of passport and the USD 20 fee put by the neighbouring nation.

The corridor connecting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan with Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur was thrown open last Saturday.