With both the Congress and BJP claiming credit for various projects undertaken for the development of Sultanpur Lodhi as a heritage smart city, ahead of the 550th Parkash Utsav of Guru Nanak in 2019, the BJP on Friday said it was willing to bear all expenses of the upgrade and projects marked for the city.
Union Minister for Culture Mahesh Sharma and Union Minister for Urban Development Hardeep Puri attended the event here on Friday. Joining them on the occasion, state BJP chief Shwait Malik said the Union Government shall be bearing all expenses for the development of Sultanpur Lodhi as a heritage smart city until the 550th Parkash Utsav, to be celebrated in 2019. The SGPC also released two coins (silver and gold) bearing pictures of Gurdwara Nankana Sahib on one side and Gurdwara Ber Sahib on the other.
Sharma also read out PM Narendra Modi’s message on the occasion, which emphasised that the Guru’s 550th birth anniversary would be celebrated across the country.
Interestingly, the development of Sultanpur Lodhi as a smart city, research chairs in the name of the Guru at GNDU, Amritsar, and in Canada as well as UK, upgrade of the local railway station and a train for the 550th Parkash Utsav, all these projects feature jointly on the BJP and Congress credit list.
Meanwhile, during the Akali Dal’s gathering at Gurdwara Ber Sahib, various leaders also credited the BJP for the city’s revamp.
SAD president Sukhbir Badal also thanked the Union Cabinet for developing Sultanpur Lodhi as a heritage city and creating “Pind Baba Nanak Da” on 100 acres. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the initiative to establish the Kartarpur corridor. Akal Takth Jathedar Singh Sahib Giani Harpreet Singh, SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Tota Singh, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Bibi Opinderjit Kaur and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema were also present.
