by Punjabnewswire4u
SRI ANANDPUR SAHIB,  NOV 7
        Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today accorded a rousing welcome to visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mr Stephen Harper and his wife Mrs Laureen who paid obeisance here at Takt Sri Keshgarh Sahib and visited the prestigious Virasat-e-Khalsa (Khalsa Heritage Centre).

            Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the visiting Canadian Prime Minister led a high powered 32-member delegation including two Ministers Mr Tim Uppal and Mr Baljit Singh Gosal besides eminent personalities from different walks of life especially the Punjabi diaspora settled in Canada. The Chief Minister accompanied Mr Harper and his wife both at Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib and the Virasat-e-Khalsa complex. During his visit Mr Harper evinced keen interest at the Virasat-e-Khalsa and lauded the efforts of the state government for this unique memorial showcasing the Sikh history spanning over five hundred years in a captivating manner. On the occasion at the memorial site, the Chief Minister honored Mr Harper with a painting of Sri Harmandir Sahib, a shawl and a sword.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Prime Minister and his wife were presented Robe of honor (siropa) and shawl at the sanctum sanctorum by Jathedar Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib Giani Tarlochan Singh, in the presence of Chief Minister. On the occasion, Secretary Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) Mr Dalmegh Singh also presented a set of Sikh Encyclopedia, a sword, a siropa and a shawl to the Canadian PM and his wife. Mr Harper described his visit to Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib as a ‘wonderful experience’ after his previous visit to Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar.

Later interacting with the media persons in Amp Theatre at Virasat-e-Khalsa complex, the Canadian Prime Minister said that his current visit to India would help in meeting the challenges before both the countries in the near future.

Prominent amongst the other present on these occasions included Food and Supply Minister Mr Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mr Madan Mohan Mittal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Chaudhary Nand Lal, Principal Secretary Cultural Affairs Mr SS Channy, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr SK Sandhu, Director Cultural Affairs Mr Karamjeet Singh Sra, Director General of Police Mr Sumedh Saini, Additional Director General of Police Mr Hardeep Singh Dhillon, Commissioner Ropar Division Mr Anurag Aggarwal, Deputy Inspector General of Police Mr RK Jaiswal besides Deputy Commissioner Mr PK Aggarwal and Senior Superintendent of Police Ropar Mr Inder Mohan Singh  .