Will Bhagwant Mann accept invitation to Lahore?

The Ministry of External Affairs stated on November 13 that India's national policy on relations with Pakistan dictates approval for foreign trips.

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In the past, it was said, ‘Those who have not seen Lahore, have not been born,’ but the conditions of the country and the world have changed significantly since then. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been invited to be the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of the fourth International Punjabi Conference, starting in Lahore, Pakistan, on November 27. Now Mann wants to go there, and whether his trip receives political approval from the Centre remains to be seen.

On November 13, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that India has a national policy regarding relations with Pakistan, and approvals for foreign trips are determined accordingly. However, this invitation has raised a question about how much scope remains for cultural contact between Punjab and its people on both sides of the LOC amid the tense India-Pakistan relations.

The conference is scheduled to be held from November 27 to 29 at the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture located in the Qaddafi Stadium premises. The organizers are Punjabi Prachar and Punjabi Lehar Media and Cultural Institute. The invitation letter dated October 25 also bears the signature of Pakistani Punjabi poet Baba Nazmi. The conference program includes discussions on language and literature, along with Punjabi short films and a speech competition for students. In this regard, the scope of the conference extends beyond writers and government representatives to include young speakers and filmmakers.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has stated that the ministry considers political approval for foreign travel of public office holders in accordance with its overall policy. He also mentioned India's stance on Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack. There has been no announcement of a final decision regarding Mann's trip in this statement. Although a cultural institution has invited him to their program, the approval for his trip as Chief Minister will be decided through the Centre's process.

Bhagwant Mann had stated during the Punjab Assembly session in October that considering his past experiences with foreign trips, he is doubtful about receiving approval to visit Pakistan. He also expressed a desire to visit historical Gurdwaras like Kartarpur Sahib and Nankana Sahib . Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan has suggested that if permission is granted by the Ministry of External Affairs, other members of the House could also be taken along. On this issue, Bhagwant Mann has stated that if the Kartarpur corridor is opened, legislators from different parties can go together to pay their respects.

In Indian Punjab, Punjabi written in Gurmukhi script is the official language of the state. In Pakistan's Punjab, it is generally written in Shahmukhi. The difference in script is less noticeable in everyday conversation, but its impact is clear in reading; for example, a reader can understand a song from the other side of the border by listening, yet they would need to learn the other script to read the lyrics. Everything is the same, yet very different.

Waris Shah's Heer is a vibrant example of this shared literary tradition, and anyone who reads or listens to it cannot remain unmoved, but this is a matter of literature and folk culture, and geopolitics does not care about such matters, which is a bitter truth of our lives. The tale of Heer and Ranjha is also read and sung on both sides of the border. Bulleh Shah's couplets and Baba Farid's compositions have also been read beyond religious and political boundaries. The inclusion of Baba Farid's verses in the Guru Granth Sahib shows how poetry reached different communities and became part of their memory during that era.

The partition of 1947 divided the cities, villages, and families of Punjab between two countries. However, formal agreements for pilgrimage have been made in the following decades. India and Pakistan reached an agreement on the Kartarpur Sahib corridor in 2019, and its validity was extended for five years in October 2024. The scope of that agreement pertains to the pilgrimage to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. There is a separate process for travel to attend the conference in Lahore. Mann has mentioned both aspects, but their outcomes depend on different decisions.

It is certain that the decision regarding Mann's participation will keep the conference in the political spotlight. The impact on the Punjabi language will be evident from what is done there for its betterment. Will readers in Indian Punjab receive Gurmukhi versions of new books published in Shahmukhi? Will audiences in Pakistani Punjab be able to watch Indian Punjabi films with subtitles in their script? If such programs for the betterment of the language take place after this conference in Lahore, it would be better; otherwise, people in the country and the world will continue to live as they are. What decision will be made on this matter will be revealed in the coming days.