Harsimrat Kaur Badal slams Pakistan government over charging $20 service fee for Kartarpur visit
New Delhi: Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday attacked the Pakistani government for charging a 'service fee' of USD 20 from pilgrims who will visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara through the highly anticipated Kartarpur corridor.
She described the Pakistan government's move as ' atrocious'.
"The $20 fee each charged by Pak for #KartarpurSahib darshan is atrocious. How will a poor devotee pay this amount? Pakistan has made a business out of faith. @ImranKhanPTI 's statement that this fee will boost Pak's economy & result in earning foreign exchange is highly shameful," Badal tweeted.
The $20 fee each charged by Pak for #KartarpurSahib darshan is atrocious. How will a poor devotee pay this amount? Pakistan has made a business out of faith. @ImranKhanPTI's statement that this fee will boost Pak's economy & result in earning foreign exchange is highly shameful. pic.twitter.com/a0sidEDIPZ
— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) October 20, 2019
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that after several rounds of discussion with Pakistan on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, India had reached an agreement on all other issues, except the matter of service fee.
This was in response to queries from the media whether agreement on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor has not yet been finalized due to the Pakistani insistence that a service fee will be charged on all devotees who want to visit Kartarpur Sahib.
MEA Official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is an important people to people initiative taken by India to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji."
He said: "After several rounds of discussion with Pakistan, we have reached an agreement on all other issues, except the matter of Service Fee. Pakistan insists on levying a fee of USD 20 (approx. Rs. 1420) on all pilgrims."
"We have urged Pakistan not to do so in the interests of devotees, and also because this is a P2P initiative. We hope that the Agreement can be concluded and signed in time for the great event," Kumar said.
What is the Kartarpur Corridor?
Kartarpur is a small town in district Narowal, 4 km from the Pakistan- India border, where the founder of the Sikh religion, Baba Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life.
Subsequently, Gurdwara Darbar Sahab was built at the site on the Pakistan side and Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in India, which are visited by thousands of Sikhs every year.
As per the Pakistan Foreign Office statement released earlier: "Opening the corridor will allow Sikh Yatrees ease of access for their most reverential place of worship which has been their longstanding demand. This is also reflective of the importance and primacy that Pakistan gives to all minorities."
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