Indian Prime Minister Visits Amritsar

March 25, 2006

Source: Sikh Sangat News

http://www.sikhsangat.org/publish/article_931.shtml

On March 25, 2006 Sikh Sangat News reported, "Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, accompanied by his wife visited the Golden Temple and paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum. Accompanied by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Member of Parliament Ms Preneet Kaur, the PM reached the complex at 6 am and remained in the Harmandar Sahib for an hour... Later, the SGPC chief submitted a memorandum to the PM enlisting various demands. It sought exclusive rights to run the regular bus service between India and Pakistan. It said visa office should be opened at Amritsar. The SGPC also wanted the taking up of the matter with Bangladesh government for allowing granthis and sevadars for resuming daily services at the three main historical Sikh shrines in Bangladesh. It also sought permission for kar seva to maintain repair and renovate of these shrines. The SGPC memorandum also enlisted the continuing demand to return the rich literary treasure of the Sikh Reference Library, taken by the Army after Operation Bluestar in 1984. It also demanded steps to remove misconception and misunderstanding against Sikh the world over; especially in France and the United States of America where Sikh students had been shown the door for wearing turbans and kirpans, respectively."