Manjinder Singh Sirsa is on a Mission Misinformation floating falsehood, tall claims and sinister designs. He needs to be stopped says WSN editor Jagmohan Singh in an Open Letter to him. He chastises him saying that he is part of the dirty tricks department which works overtime whenever it is a joyous occasion for Sikhs. Knowing fully well that Sikhs in Pakistan, India and across the world will be celebrating the momentous occasion of the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, a cross-section of the India media, led by journalists in India-based international media, DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa has set in motion blatant lies through tweets, video posts and a misdirected campaign to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

DEAR MANJINDER SINGH SIRSA: WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH!  I congratulate you and the Sikh world on the momentous occasion of the first anniversary of the opening of the Kartarpur Peace Corridor, which enables thousands of Sikh pilgrims from India to pay obeisance at the historic Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, where the founder of the Sikh faith -Guru Nanak spent the last years of his worldly journey.

Your recent statements and video messages have caused cause acute pain to the Sikhs worldwide, especially to those living in Pakistan. I have no doubt that you are part of the dirty tricks department which leads a well-orchestrated campaign whenever Sikhs want to feel happy about historic developments.

At the time, when the work for the renovation and expansion of the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib was on and at the time of the inauguration of the peace corridor, the Chief Minister of Punjab -Captain Amarinder Singh overstepped his brief as a State chief minister and in tandem with a pliant section of the media and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs undermined the significance and importance of the Kartarpur Corridor by casting aspersions about its objectives. Furthermore, there was a sinister move to float unsubstantiated fears regarding misuse of the pilgrimage through tweets by the Police Chief of Punjab.

You are exactly up to the same mischief again.

Your recent statement of the ETPB- Evacuee Trust Property Board usurping Sikh religious shrine Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib is downright illogical, unsubstantiated and pure mischief to mar the anniversary celebrations and to give a handle to the government of India to extend the embargo on the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor.

Do you know that the entire stretch of 4.7 kilometres of the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib was developed by Muslim labour and devout till its completion under the management of the ETPB?

Do you know that the entire stretch of 4.7 kilometres of the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib was developed by Muslim labour and devout till its completion under the management of the ETPB?

Last year, when I was there when the works were on, I saw no more than 2 Sikhs -one Granthi Singh and one young Sewadar as the only Sikhs who were there to oversee the gigantic monumental work and to upkeep and maintain Sikh traditions within the sanctum sanctorum.  This is exactly the same way in which the Kar Sewa in Delhi and Punjab Gurdwaras is overseen by Sikhs but the works are carried out by labour and experts of other faiths.

Did you read the ETPB order before you jumped the gun and cried hoarse which was lapped up by the Indian media as fish takes to water? No journalistic ethics, no norms, no verification of facts, just plain twisting and distortion to pursue a line of mischief-mongering.

You have easy access to the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs but you cannot reach out to the leadership of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to cross-check your facts before blurting out painful outbursts inimical to Sikhs interests in Pakistan and worldwide.

In 6 months from now, once the DSGMC elections are held, your fate in Sikh religious affairs would be known to the Sikhs of Delhi and the world. Your parent party Shiromani Akali Dal is silent on such affairs. Your party has divorced from the Bharatiya Janta Party but it is evident that you are preparing yourself for a political role.

I fear that your Mission Misinformation will continue.  The least that should immediately happen is that you should stop using the august platform of the DSGMC to proffer lies, mislead the Sikh Sangat and malign Sikh historical achievements.

In view of the statements by the PSGPC President Satwant Singh and General Secretary Amir Singh, you should withdraw your accusation statement and show large-heartedness in accepting a mistake.

I doubt whether you will be magnanimous to accept your mistake and refrain from such diatribes in future. I fear that your Mission Misinformation will continue.  The least that should immediately happen is that you should stop using the august platform of the DSGMC to proffer lies, mislead the Sikh Sangat and malign Sikh historical achievements.

Sincerely

Jagmohan Singh
Editor, The World Sikh News