140 Afghan Sikhs stopped from attending Guru Tegh Bahadur's birth anniversary in India
Darpan News Desk IANS, 26 Aug, 2021 11:48 AM
Kabul/New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS) At least 140 Afghan Sikh pilgrims who were scheduled to arrive in Delhi on Thursday to attend the celebrations marking the 400th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, were stopped by the Taliban to board a flight from Kabul.
"A kirtan darbar is scheduled to be held on Sunday. Community members from various parts of the world are arriving here. Unfortunately the Taliban denied the 140 pilgrims access to the Kabul airport," said Afghan national Partap Singh, who is President of the Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji gurdwara in New Mahavir Nagar.
The 400th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, will be marked in a grand manner.
"We had requested the Indian government to facilitate their attendance at the mega celebrations. Regret to note that last night these law abiding pilgrims were turned back by Taliban security forces from the airport after waiting for more than 15 hours in their convoys," said Afghan-origin Guljeet Singh, president of the Guru Nanak Sahib ji gurudwara in Vikaspuri.
Indian World Forum President Puneet Singh has appealed to the Taliban to facilitate an early departure of the Afghan Hindu and Sikh pilgrims in the interest of humanity.
According to police, the robbers, coming out of the Amruth Gold and Silver shop after the crime, saw Chandru approach and opened fire at him, fearing he may try to apprehend them or alert the public. One of the bullets hit Chandru on the head and he died on the spot.
The Vigilance Bureau arrested Saini, who retired in June 2018, for cheating, forgery and other offences under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act on Wednesday.
To be headed by the Chief Minister, the group will have Local Government Minister Brahm Mohindra, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Social Security Minister Aruna Chaudhary as members, along with Sidhu, the four party working presidents -- Kuljit Singh Nagra, Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Sangat Singh Gilzian and Pawan Goel, besides Pargat Singh.
After paying floral tributes to the former Prime Minister at Central Hall of Parliament, Defence Minister Singh tweeted, "Paid tributes to former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi ji on his birth anniversary at Parliament House today."
Microsoft and MAQ Software will set up their units in Noida whereas PepsiCo has started construction of its factory in Mathura, said an Industrial Department official.
Stressing that Rajiv Gandhi was a close friend, Amarinder Singh recalled that he always used ask when the day will come when people will have their own houses to live and India would be free from poverty. He, therefore, thought it apt to launch this scheme on the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, said the Chief Minister, adding that the Congress had fighting for the people for the last 130 years.
