The Pakistan government’s decision to transfer the management and administrative control of the Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur from a Sikh body — Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandhak Committee (PSGPC) — to a trust under the Evacuee Trust Property Board, a non-Sikh body, has inviting sharp reactions from India, which termed the move “highly condemnable” and against the spirit of the Kartarpur Corridor.

The Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, also known as Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, is located in Pakistan’s Panjab on the river---1--,.—2----, the first Sikh Guru had arrived in Kartarpur between 1520 and 1522, as per historians, and spent the last 18 years of his life there. It was in Kararpur that he laid the foundations of a Sikh religion.

At his final resting place stands the gurdwara. It was one of the most significant historical and spiritual place for Sikhs till 1947. Following the partition, no Sikh was left to take care of the gurdwara, which slowly turned into ruins and at one point of time was also used as a shelter by smugglers. One such person smuggled the Bir of Guru Granth Sahib left behind in the gurdwara and brought it back to east Punjab in late 60s.

A controversy has erupted following a recent notification by ETPB as per which a new body — Project Management Unit (PMU) — has been formed for the administrative control of the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has termed Pakistan’s decision as a move to take full control of the gurdwara, which is also the final resting place of Sikh faith’s founder—2--. The PSGPC, however, claims that there is no change in the administration of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.