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KARTARPUR CORRIDOR

Credit war erupts The ongoing row over Kartarpur corridor seems • Troubled knot Sidhu optimistic

amusing given the fact that it was triggered by
on Indo-Pakistan relations
over opening of Pakistan after its Imran Khan-led government
took the first decisive step in making the corri-
Kartarpur corridor dor a reality and the world came to know about
it through Navjot Sidhu, writes RAJU WILLIAM

he credit war erupted in the side. Sidhu is known for courting con- for this ‘unpatriotic’ act in the Indian
wake of Pakistan Army chief troversies, be it politics or the cricket. media especially the sections consid-
General Qmar Javed Bajwa In August, Sidhu had stirred a ered close to the ruling BJP at the Cen-
informally breaking the storm back home when he attended tre. Yet Sidhu remained unfazed and
T news of opening of the Sikh the swearing-in of another cricketer- justified his act terming it as a sincere
shrine Kartarpur Sahib in his country turned politician Imran Khan as the gesture which any devout Sikh would
for the Sikh pilgrims on the occasion Prime Minister of Pakistan. The reason make on suddenly coming to know
of 550th birth anniversary of Guru was his hug to the Pakistan Army chief about the possibility of visiting and pay-
Nanak Dev, the first Guru of the Sikhs, Bajwa after being told by the latter that ing obeisance at the shrine which had
has caused uncalled for controversy his country was considering opening been beyond the community’s access
among Punjab’s ruling and opposition of the pilgrimage passage to the place since the Partition.
parties whose leaders have since been where Guru Nanak had spent last about The brunt of criticism Sidhu faced
indulging in scoring political points. 18 years of his life. The Sikhs across the emanated from his home state Punjab
Rather inglorious spectacle of this world had for long been demanding where the ruling Congress party’s tra-
political oneupmanship was witnessed access to the sacred Gurdwara Darbar ditional political adversary SAD which
at the foundation stone laying function Sahib constructed there. The fulfill- is an alliance partner of the ruling BJP ister Captain Amarinder Singh in 2017 For the common that it was triggered by Pakistan after
of the corridor on November 26 at Dera ment of this long cherished demand at the Centre could not come to terms provincial elections after a decade long Imran Khan led federal government
Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district in the sent waves of joy across the Sikh com- with the political blow to its image of rule. With 2019 general elections in the Sikhs, the credit took the first decisive step in making
presence of the Vice-President Ven- munity globally. being champion of the Sikhs’ religio- country being 8 months away, the BJP war is unfortunate the corridor a reality and the world
kaiah Naidu. The bone of contention In the backdrop of prevailing atmos- political interests. The opening of cor- whose electoral agenda significantly came to know about it through Sidhu.
was the names of former Chief Min- phere of animosity between both coun- ridor meant continuation of political thrives on anti-Pakistan sentiment, too as they view the His role is only this much. He had, for
ister Parkash Singh Badal, his son and tries, his hug was not taken kindly in his downslide for the SAD since it lost was put in a politically awkward situ- issue in a balanced all purposes and intents, gone to attend
former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir home country. He was bitterly criticized power to the Congress led by Chief Min- ation as it was constrained to recipro- swearing-in of Imran Khan on being
Singh Badal on the foundation stone. manner and from the personally invited as a friend. From all
The Congress Minister Sukhjinder faith angle. Largely available accounts it is clear that credit
Singh Randhwa even went up the dias and condemnation was thrust on him
amidst the speech being delivered by they view it as thanks to his friends and foes in the
Akali leader and Union Minister Har- Guru’s answer media. The lavish praise heaped on
simrat Kaur Badal to register his protest him by Punjabi media fraternity based
for the reason that she was making po- to their prayers in foreign countries too looked largely
litical references demeaning his party. misplaced. The credit bestowed on him
“It was wrong on her part to rake up by common Sikhs is understandable as
the 1984 issue on the historic religious cate to the Pakistan’s announcement they are
occasion. The Akalis are in the habit of of opening the corridor. Its failure to That Sidhu is not the rightful claim-
exploiting religion for political gains,” do so would have meant losing faith of ant of the credit- a fact he himself chose
commented Chief Minister Captain the Sikh community in the country and to disassociate from though long after
Amarinder Singh. abroad. It was for this reason that the savouring it- should be clear if the ef-
At the centre of the entire contro- Modi Cabinet decided to lay foundation forts of the individuals and groups
versy is cricketer-turned politician and stone of the corridor on the Indian side among the Sikh community are taken
TV celebrity Punjab Congress Minister • Breaking barriers Venkaiah on November 26, two days ahead of the into account. So much so, the Pun -
Navjot Singh Sidhu who landed in Pa- Naidu lays foundation stone already announced ground breaking jab legislative assembly had passed a
kistan for the second time- the first one of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur ceremony of the corridor by Pakistan unanimous resolution on October 1,
was in August this year- to attend the Sahib road corridor on its side at Kartarpur Sahib. 2010 seeking opening of the corridor.
ground breaking ceremony of the cor- The ongoing credit war in Punjab For several years, opening of the cor-
ridor to be constructed on the Pakistani and India looks amusing given the fact ridor had become an integral part of

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