Sikh
‘Jatha’ Awaits Nod
To Visit Shrine In POK
By Ashutosh Sharma
27 June,
2008
Countercurrents.org
JAMMU, June 26: With the Government mulling over weekly cross-LOC bus service in the state as part of cementing Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan, hopes have rekindled amongst odd 122 people of Sikh community, who migrated to this part of state after partition, to visit their religious shrine Gurdwara Dehri Sahib of Sant ROCHA SINGH in Rawlkote. They have been waiting since the start of bus service between the two countries to visit other side of dividing line to pay obeisance to their native place.
It is in place to mention here that, holy man and prominent preacher of SIKH faith in the hilly state of Jammu and Kashmir, ROCHA SINGH (1688-1803), was born is Hazara district (now in Pakistan). He was instructed by the tenth guru Govind Singh to preach Guru Nanak`s word in hilly state and consequently he came to Chhatar Kalas, a village on the bank of the river Jehlum in Muzaffarabad district. Rocha Singh constructed a large Gurdwara there and brought many into the Khalsa fold. Bhai Rocha Singh spent his last days in the Gurdwara at Rawalkot, raised for him by a Muslim devotee, Salabat Khan.
At present the fortnightly cross-LoC bus service is operating at two points—Poonch-Rawalakote in Jammu division and Uri-Muzaffarabad in Kashmir province. Among the other three crossing points sanctioned by the Central Government for the benefit of the divided families, only Teetwal is operational at present while Tatapani in Jammu division came to close after six months of its opening and Silikot in Kashmir could not be made operational for obvious reasons
Several Sikh aspirants living in areas like Miran Sahib and Nari Khibar on the outskirt of Jammu city that they had applied for permit two years back. “The Srinagar Pass Port authorities even provided us permit number of each applicant amongst 122 but due to dilly dallying attitude of PoK authorities we are being denied of the permission,” they added.
“I personally called on Minister for External Affair, Pranab Mukherjee ahead of his recent visit to Pakistan to take up issue with the Pak authorities, since he is back now…….we are yet waiting in anticipation” said president of Sant Rocha Singh Trust, Sohan Singh who is one among others who want to visit POK.
In the face of recent visit by a group of 52 Pakistani Hindu pilgrims to the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, he stressed as to why they are not being allowed for pilgrimage. He claimed that the entire prerequisite legalities stand completed but owing to lackadaisical approach of state and central Government they are not being allowed to visit the shrine-33 Kms away from Chakan-da-Bagh(Poonch) in Rawalkot.
Sources in the passport office maintained that they have completed all the modalities to issue permits to all the 122 aspirants but the delay is on part of POK authorities.
According to them since the opening of all the five points across the State, a total of 15,000 application forms were received out of which 13000 were given clearance. The remaining 2000 applications were still pending with the Passport Office. “Recently, about 9000 fresh applications were received by the Passport Office of which 5000 were cleared and names of 3300 persons were given to the Pakistan for the clearance” they disclosed.
"The number of persons intending to avail the cross LoC bus service to meet the divided families has been increasing continuously", the sources said, adding "the start of bus service on weekly basis will aim at further strengthening people to people contact between two countries".
Writer
is a Journalist, presently associated with Jammu and Kashmir's highly
reputed and largest circulated daily "Daily Excelsior”.
He can be contacted at [email protected]
