India Pakistan partition was a mistake: Minorities Commission chief Iqbal Singh Lalpura

The partition of 1947 between India and Pakistan, a mistake committed by our elders and said that it is unfortunate that they could not understand the real teaching of Lord Guru Nanak, said Lalpura.

New Delhi: National Commission for Minorities (NCM) chief Iqbal Singh Lalpura on Monday (January 3) called the partition of 1947 between India and Pakistan, a mistake committed by our elders and said that it is unfortunate that they could not understand the real teaching of Lord Guru Nanak.

Lalpura, while offering prayers inside the sanctum santorum of Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib s said, “It was unfortunate that our elders couldn’t understand the teachings of Baba Nanak, and they committed a mistake of partition, the sheet was also torn, similarly, the country was divided.”

However, he expressed gratitude towards Almighty for once again joining all the dividers in his ‘darbar’. He had quoted an example of the dividing of the sheet by the Hindu and Muslim followers of Baba Nanak with which Baba Nanak's body was covered.

The statements came as Lalpura on Monday visited Pakistan via Kartarpur Corridor to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib along with 30 member delegations including former Member Parliament  Kamal Chaudhary, Kuldeep Singh Kahlon, Ajayveer Singh Lalpura.

The commission chief also assured the Pakistan government to take up the issue of increasing the daily number of devotees visiting Gurdwara Sri Dabar Sahib via Kartarpur Corridor and easing the conditions of their visit.

Mohammad Latif, Chairman, Project Management Unit (PMU), a Pakistan government department exclusively erected for the management of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib said “ He was very happy to see the expansion of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib and appreciated the arrangements made by us for the reception of devotees from India”.

Latif said that the Indian delegates were also impressed by the tidiness of the project area as a whole. 

“The chairman (Lalpura) has also assured that he will speak to the government of India for easing up the conditions for Indian devotees and also increase their numbers for daily visits,” said Latif adding that it was a great honour and real pleasure to receive such a high level of the delegation representing minorities of India.

PMU also bestowed siropa’s (robe of honour) to the Indian delegations during their visit to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.