Alamgir, August 19 – President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Chander Shekhar have confirmed their participation in the quadricentennial celebrations of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib to be held at Amritsar on September 1.
This was revealed by SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal who arrived here today to preside over a meeting of Akali workers at Gurdwara Alamgir. Those present were told to work with the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to make the celebrations a success.
Talking to mediapersons later on, Mr Badal said it was purely a religious function being organised by the SGPC and his party was only lending a helping hand. “Chief Ministers of all neighbouring states, irrespective of their party affiliations, have been invited to the function. Since Guru Granth Sahib has compositions of various bhakts across the country, it would be a befitting tribute if the Chief Ministers and the people of these states took part in the celebrations”, he added.
“Things have been planned on such a grand scale that it would go down in peoples’ memory as the event of the century,” he claimed.
On Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s refusal to call a special session of the Assembly to scrap Article 5 of the Termination of River Water Treaty Act, as demanded by the Akalis, Mr Badal said he had suggested that an ordinance should be promulgated for the purpose.
The Chief Minister must work on these lines as any delay would weaken the the state’s case in the Supreme Court, he stressed.
He said the new party set up would be in place during September. He said the next SGPC chief would be announced after a meeting of the executive early next month.
MOGA: Interacting with mediapersons here, Mr Badal said Capt Amarinder Singh’s statement over the state’s right on Chandigarh was nothing but a political stunt to gain popularity. He said that it was the Congress, which had snatched Chandigarh from Punjab. Earlier, Mr Badal had addressed a gathering organised to take stock of preparations for the 400th anniversary of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib.
He said the Central Government had formed a committee for celebrating the anniversary. He is also one of the members of the committee.
Mr Badal said he had urged the Central Government to declare a national holiday on September 1. Punjab should also observe a 3-day holiday to enable devotees to participate in the celebrations. The Dalai Lama has accepted his invitation to participate in the celebrations, he added.
