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KARTARPUR CORRIDOR

the every Sikh’s daily prayers. It was on taining all details of the proposed shape Akali leader Kuldip Singh Wadala are Congress and Sidhu in particular is of last Assembly elections. He has not favour of the corridor’s opening. The
the insistence of the community leaders and budget of 17.2 million US Dollars also prominently acknowledged among understandable for the political con- been seen on the same page with the credit also goes to the BJP leadership
that binoculars were installed near Dera was published by us. We also put up the the community. “The issue of the corri- siderations, the verbose Congress Min- Chief Minister and several colleagues even though it has not claimed it. At
Baba Nanak inside the Indo-Pak border community’s demand in writing before dor was raised by Dr Manmohan Singh ister, enjoying support of the Congress within the party and government on the same time, it must have been dif-
in Gurdaspur district to enable the devo- the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan on the 400th anniversary of Sri Guru president Rahul Gandhi, has earned the many issues. “These differences resur- ficult for the hyper jingoistic BJP Gov-
tees to have a glimpse of Kartarpur Sahib Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gan- Granth Sahib and he himself had raised disapproval of Captain Amarinder faced as Sidhu’s way of hogging lime- ernment at the Centre to extend hand
located 4.5 Kilometres away in Pakistan. dhi besides meeting Rahul Gandhi, con- it with Pakistani leaders Parvez Mushar- Singh for his statements and actions. light on the corridor issue bypassing of friendship to Pakistan on the issue
The US-based founder of the United cerned Congress ministers and Captain raf and Parvez Elahi,” said Captain Ama- He publicly stated that Sidhu “has his the Chief Minister is not justified,” said when crucial four state assembly elec-
Sikh Mission, Rashpal Singh Dhindsa said Amarinder Singh,” he said. rinder Singh. way of thinking”. Though Sidhu has a senior Punjab Minister asking not to tions are in progress,” commented Lu-
that his NGO made several representa- Among others, the efforts of the late The Akali-BJP attempts to outdo been saying that his visits to Pakistan be named. dhiana-based industrialist Ashok Singh
tions on the issue since 2004 when he were made in personal capacity as a For the common Sikhs, the credit Garcha. Dhindsa summed up saying
led a jatha of pilgrims from the US to the friend of Imran Khan and that he was war is unfortunate as they view the that since the issue has been clinched
Sikh shrines in Pakistan. “We prepared a guided by his religious belief and faith issue in a balanced manner and from by governments of both countries, so
proposal in which the said corridor was on the issue of corridor, the insiders in the faith angle. Largely they view it as the credit goes to all including all those
named as Kartarpur Sahin Marg. One the party and the government say he Guru’s answer to their prayers. “Nav- who believe in Guru Nanak Dev.
of our members Surinder Singh even was being toeing own political agenda jot Sidhu deserves the credit for mak-
conducted a survey and a booklet con- since he joined the Congress just ahead ing the right sound effects in public in LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

CAPTAIN AMARINDER SINGH of peace cannot become a reality in But the fact remains that it is the Con- even shooting letters on the issue
PUNJAB CHIEF MINISTER the true sense and spirit till the Paki- gress which has been striving to re- to Indian Foreign Minister even as
‘Opening against our soldiers and puts an end nity over the years. It was Late Prime communicating with the Centre.
you as the CM have already been
alise this dream of the Sikh commu-
stani Army stops unleashing violence
Look, any individual can write any
Minister Indira Gandhi who had first
to backing anti-India terror groups.
promised Punjab access to Kartar-
That is an imperative for peaceful and
number of letters to the prime min-
Kartarpur friendly relations between our two pur, and that was 49 years ago, on the ister or any member of his cabinet.
What Navjot Sidhu has been doing
nations, which have common roots
historic 500th birth anniversary of
and share a common cultural & social
has been in his personal capacity,
Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. Then in 2004,
just as his decision to visit Pakistan
ethos. Having said that, I would once
then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan
Corridor PUNJAB CHIEF MINISTER Captain Amarinder Singh appreciates the opening of Kartarpur again like to make it clear that I will Singh had raised the issue of the Cor- earlier for the ceremony to instal Im-
Corridor, but advises Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan to try to rein in the Pakistan
not allow Pakistan army or anyone
ran Khan as their prime minister, and
ridor on the 400th anniversary of Sri
Army. He discusses bilateral peace and other related issues with raju william in an
else to destroy our hard-earned peace
now for their groundbreaking cere-
Guru Granth Sahib. I had raised the
issue with Pakistani leaders Parvez
or let Punjab once again plunge into
exclusive interview.
mony of the Kartarpur Corridor. I will
good sign, EDITED EXCERPTS FROM AN INTERVIEW • Army. If the prime minister took this the dark days of terror. I owe this to Musharraf and Parvez Elahi during never interfere in his personal deci-
sions, though I did feel that as a mem-
my state and my people.
my previous tenure and had been
ber of the Punjab cabinet and also of
persistently pursuing the matter with
What’s your take on credit war
You declined invite by Pakistan
the current regime in India, led by
the Congress, he should have agreed
but give Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood decision on his own initiative, for what- going on here on this issue Narendra Modi ji. And I am happy the to my request to reconsider his deci-
Qureshi to attend ground breaking
prime minister has acceded to our re-
A religious issue of such extreme
sion to go to Pakistan when I, as the
ever political compulsions he might
ceremony there for the reason his
chief minister, had taken a strong
quest to open the corridor on the im-
have thought he had, then I can only say
importance has no place for politics
country sponsors terror activities
stand on the issue of the continued
and it is unfortunate that the Akalis
mensely auspicious occasion of the
it is a good sign and he should now take
peace too in India besides unprovoked this independence forward by reining have been trying to usurp credit for 550th Prakash Purb of the first Guru. killings of our people and soldiers. As
killing of our soldiers. Do you think
the Kartarpur Corridor to further
in the Pakistan Army. Frankly, nobody
to why he is behaving like that is not
decision to open Kartarpur Corridor
You have said your minister
their political gains. The Corridor has
something I can answer on his ac-
knows how things work in that coun-
has been taken alone by political
Navjot Sidhu has his own way of
count. I clearly spelt out my reasons
try and to what extent the government
been a cherished long-pending de-
a chance’ establishment there? there is controlled by the Army. But one sire of every Sikh. Even I have always thinking. Did you ever ask him for taking the stand I did, it’s up to him
as to why he is behaving like this
wanted to visit the last abode of our
to explain his stand on the issue.
thing we do know is that the Pakistan
I cannot say whether the political es-
especially because he must be
Great Guru and will hopefully see my
tablishment there took this decision on
Army is behind a lot of the trouble we
seen with his party’s govt? He is
are witnessing in India. The Corridor
its own or discussed matters with the
wish getting fulfilled in my lifetime.
LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM
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