Kartarpur Sahib Corridor Closed, Nankana Sahib Safe & SGPC Relocates Saroops

After India’s 6-7 May night’s Operation Sindoor (vermilion marker for married Hindu women), on 9 May, Akal Takht (Eternal Throne, AT) acting Jathedar (leader) Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj held Ardas (prayers) ‘for peace in South Asia’ at Takht (throne) Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib. The same day, as Sikh regiments moved to western borders, soldiers performed prayers to keep their Sikh flags–termed Khalistani by Hindutva forces when they label Sikhs anti-national–flying high. As conflict between India and Pakistan escalated, the veterans in Panjab affirmed their readiness to take on tasks the Indian Army needed them to perform, including wielding firearms and digging bunkers. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) began relocating saroops (tome) of Guru Granth Sahib from Gurdwaras in the border belts of Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran to safer Gurdwaras (Sikh place of learning and worship). On 8 May, after the Indian Home Ministry closed the Kartarpur Corridor, initially ‘for today’ and then indefinitely, forcing 150 Sikh pilgrims at the integrated check post to turn back. Concurrently, the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check Unit separately denied social media claims that India had used drones to hit Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. PIB called the video fake and intended to incite communal discord. In Jammu & Kashmir, firing from across Line of Control on 7–8 May damaged Poonch’s Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara and killed at least four Sikhs including ragi (hymn singer) Amrik Singh. 15 civilians and 1 soldier died over the 12-hour bombardment. AT Jathedar Giani Gargajj condemned the attack. SGPC officials visited injured Sikhs who were brought to Amritsar. For Poonch residents, in a state of shock, the shelling brought memories of the Kargil war (1999). Meanwhile, farmers union Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and various civilian organizations made a call: ‘No War, Only Peace.’ The Sikh response to the hysteria that gripped India has been distinct: they prayed for peace but prepared for war. Being on the borders, they understand their situation and the impact of war very differently from mainland India (earlier coverage).