Chandigarh, Responding to an appeal from Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, all political parties in Punjab on Friday extended their support to the government for making the main event to mark the 550th celebrations of the birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji a success.
Raising the issue at a meeting with a delegation of MLAs from all parties, after the start of the Monsoon Session, the Chief Minister urged them all to rise above partisan lines to support the iconic event. He said the 550th Prakash Purb was a historic occasion, requiring all to rise above political affiliations to ensure a befitting celebration in memory of the first Sikh Guru.
All parties, including the SAD, BJP and AAP, assured of their cooperation to the government, which is the nodal agency for the main event slated to be held in November, in culmination of the year-long celebrations being held by the government.
The Chief Minister suggested that religious functions to be held inside the Gurdwaras, can be handled by the SGPC, while other events would be undertaken by the government with the participation of representatives of all the parties.
Captain Amarinder 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 delegation included MLAs from Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, the Bharatiya Janata Party and AAP. The Congress delegation include Raj Kumar Verka, Kulbir Singh Zira, Barindermeet Singh Pahra and Kikki Dhillon, among others. SAD was represented by Rozi Barkandi and four others, and BJP by Arun Narang. For AAP, Kanwar Sandhu was accompanied by five other party MLAs.