Chandigarh: A BJP leader on Tuesday slammed Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for criticising the Centre over refusal to Sikh jathas to visit Pakistan for Guru Nanak Dev’s ‘Parkash
Purb’ celebrations in November, saying there was a security threat perception in the neighbouring nation.
BJP national spokesperson R P Singh also asked Mann who would be responsible if anything went wrong with any Indian pilgrim in Pakistan.
The Punjab chief minister on Monday attacked the BJP-led Centre for giving its nod to the Asia Cup T20 cricket match between India and Pakistan but denying permission to send a Sikh jatha to the neighbouring country for the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev in November.
BJP leader Singh said the Centre has inputs that something wrong could happen with the pilgrims in Pakistan.
“There is a security threat perception,” said Singh on the current ban on pilgrims’ visits to Pakistan.
He asserted that no country visits Pakistan to play cricket.
Many countries have issued advisories to their citizens against visiting Pakistan for even tourism purposes, he said.
Those who claimed that Indian pilgrims have been stopped are wrong, said Singh while speaking to reporters here.
He said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose efforts led to the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor.
The senior BJP leader asked CM Mann to write to the Centre if he can guarantee the security of pilgrims visiting Pakistan.
Singh said it was the Modi government which evacuated Sikhs from Afghanistan.