A controversy has erupted in Punjab following the Union Home Ministry’s advisory discouraging states from permitting Sikh pilgrims to travel to Pakistan in November for Gurpurab, citing security concerns. This advisory affects thousands of devotees who traditionally visit Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib to commemorate Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary. The advisory, issued on September 12, cited rising tensions with Pakistan following the recent Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. It was sent not only to Punjab but also to Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
The issue gained further attention after the India-Pakistan Asia Cup match on September 14, with political and Sikh leaders questioning why cricket matches were allowed while religious pilgrimages were being restricted. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized the Home Ministry, accusing the Centre of “double standards” and questioning why Sikh devotees were being prevented from visiting sacred sites when cricket matches with Pakistan were allowed to proceed. “Politics and cricket can wait, but not devotion,” Mann said, adding that revenue from sporting events could ultimately fund terror and drugs.
Opposition parties and Sikh religious leaders also condemned the advisory. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to reconsider the decision, emphasizing that denying access to Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib would hurt religious sentiments. He urged the reopening of the Kartarpur corridor to allow pilgrims to pay homage at Sri Nankana Sahib on this auspicious occasion.
Former Olympian and Congress MLA Pargat Singh questioned the government’s inconsistent approach, noting that while ties with Pakistan in cricket, trade, and films are selectively permitted or restricted, the rights of Sikh devotees to visit holy sites are being interfered with. The advisory has thus triggered a wider debate over religious freedom and security priorities in the region.
