Centre’s move on Kartarpur Sahib corridor hailed
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, November 22
Hailing the Union Cabinet’s green signal on facilitating a corridor to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, MP Rajya Sabha Shwait Malik on Thursday said a long pending demand of the Sikhs had been fulfilled with this as devotees would freely pay obeisance at the Gurdwara in Pakistan where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev spent his last years.
Addressing a press conference, Malik who is also member of the committee constituted by the Union government, said the proposal was to build a passage to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib up to the international border. “The Congress has been claiming its credit for no reasons. There were many unsuccessful attempts during the regime of the Congress. The initiative could fructify only during the tenure of PM Narendra Modi-led NDA government. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley contributed to materialise it,” he said.
BJP senior leader Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina also hailed the move. He hoped that the construction of the Kartarpur corridor would soon start and Pakistan would also take up the project on its side.
The Indian government will build the three-km protected way for the pilgrims from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to the border while Pakistan will take up the corridor further to the shrine which is around one and a half km inside the neighbouring country.
Chhina said Arun Jaitley himself had visited Dera Baba Nanak when he held the portfolio of Union Minister of Defence and took stock of the situation. “Devotees throng the Indian side daily and get a glimpse of the holy shrine through telescope. The gurdwara is visible to the naked eyes during the clear sky from the Indian side,” he said.
Meanwhile, giving details of the programmes to commemorate the occasion, Malik said international seminars on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev would be organised in New Delhi. As major attraction for pilgrims and tourists, a heritage complex at Sultanpur Lodhi named as ‘Pind Babe Nanak Da’ would be developed to depict the life in the times of Guru Nanak Dev. “ Sultanpur Lodhi, where Guru Nanak Dev spent over a decade, would be declared a heritage city. The Ministry of Railways will run a train passing through the holy places associated with Guru Nanak Dev and the UNESCO will be approached to publish Guru’s writing in world languages,” he added.
Activists express their joy
Amritsar: Several organisations, which had been demanding a corridor to Kartarpur Sahib for long, have thanked the Union Government after an announcement in this regards was made on Thursday. Principal Kulwant Singh Ankhi, patron of the Amrisar Vikas Manch, has thanked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for sanctioning 4-km corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib (Narowal district, Pakistan). “The corridor will write a new historical chapter of mutual cooperation between the two neighbouring countries. Once operational, this corridor will also fulfill the wish of Sikhs regarding easy access to gurdwaras in Pakistan. Leaving behind the enmity, both countries should follow the path of trade and business, paving the way towards progress and prosperity,” said Ankhi.
Harbhajan Singh Brar, president, Sai Mian Mir Foundation, also appreciated the government for responding to the 20-year-old demand of the foundation members. Brar has been making efforts for the corridor for last several years. Damdami Taksal has hailed the move. Sant Harnam Singh, head, Damdami Taksal, welcomed the move of the government. Kartarpur is a sacred place for the followers of Guru Nanak Dev as the first Sikh Guru spent 18 years of the last phase of his life after completing four ‘Udaseean’ (journeys) in all four directions of the globe. This is the place from where he preached ‘Naam japo (meditate), kirat karo (toil) and vand chhako (share)’. When he left for his heavenly abode, people of all religions performed the last rites as per their faiths. That’s why both tomb and gurdwara are on the same premises, spreading the message of humanity and religious brotherhood. TNS
