India-Pakistan conflict: Villagers near Zero Line in Punjab in no mood to evacuate, offer Gurdaspur MP chai and pakora after he calls on them

Indian Express

10-05-2025

Amid the tension between India and Pakistan, Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was offered tea and pakora (fritters) when he went to check on villagers residing in border areas under his constituency on Friday.
'This is the spirit of Punjab. Punjabis are never afraid. Frankly, I smelt tension at the border. But villagers offered me tea and pakoras when I visited them to check if they were facing any issues,' said Randhawa.
Currently, most villagers in the border areas are not ready for evacuation, though some have sent their women and children to safer places.
Meanwhile, banking facilities have been interrupted in many areas near the international border.
Two bank branches in Khalra village, just 1 km from the border, remained closed on Friday.
The deputy commissioner of Tarn Taran also claimed there were no immediate plans to evacuate people.
Citing past experiences when full evacuations did not lead to war, locals stated that the current situation may not escalate further.
'I have seen the 1965 and 1971 wars. I know what kind of preparations are made during a war. So far, it is peaceful here. I don't think there would be any war. We were evacuated in 2016, too, after the Uri attack,' said Balwinder Singh, 80, a resident of Khalra village.
'The border villages are not the same as they were during the 1965 or 1971 war, or even during the Kargil war. At that time, we were living a humble life. We didn't have much to lose. But in the last two decades, we have seen vast development in border areas. Now we have good roads and almost all the facilities in our home that you will find in cities,' said Chetan Singh from Rajo Ke village near the Zero Line.
'Earlier, we had kaccha houses. Now we have pucca houses. How can we leave behind homes which have been constructed with such hard work,' he added.
MP Randhawa said, 'The administration can't do much here. It will set up shelters. But even poor villagers do not like to live in shelters. They will go to their relatives instead of living in shelters. This is Punjab. Society comes forward at the hour of need.'
Meanwhile, the suspension of all commercial and civil flight operations from the Amritsar Airport has been further extended till 5.30 am on May 15.
SGPC steps in
In light of the growing tensions between India and Pakistan, the Bir (Guru Granth Sahib) was shifted from the Gurdwara Baba Sidhji on the Zero Line near Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on Friday.
Devotees pay obeisance here before going to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.
Partap Singh, Secretary, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), said residents of border areas can contact the nearest gurdwara under the SGPC management if they require assistance in the wake of the tension between India and Pakistan.
The manager of the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Dera Baba Nanak, said, 'We had got a request only from Gurdwara Sidh ji. So, the Bir was brought from there. If any other village would make such a request, then we will bring the Bir from there as well.'
Partap Singh said, 'Special arrangements for shelter and meals have been made at nearby gurdwaras for people displaced from border areas.'
SGPC had also played a big role in providing langar (food) and shelter to the evacuated population in 2016.
Meanwhile, an SGPC team visited Sikhs who were injured in the recent attack in Poonch and assured them of all possible assistance.