Kartarpur Corridor: First jatha’s limit 50, including ministers

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur/chandigarh, Nov 16

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi welcomed the Union Government’s decision to reopen the Kartarpur corridor even as he confirmed his entire Cabinet will pay obeisance at the shrine on Thursday as “thanksgiving to the Almighty”.

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It is learnt that the Centre has given the state government permission for 50 persons, including Cabinet ministers, for the first delegation. It is not clear whether Pradesh Congress Committee president Navjot Singh Sidhu would be part of the first delegation.

The Chief Minister was at Dharowali, the native village of Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, on the occasion of the death anniversary of his father Santokh Singh Randhawa, a former Cabinet minister and PCC president. Channi said he was indebted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as “both went out of their way to get the project back on its legs”. “I had taken up the issue with the Prime Minister and Home Minister on many an occasion. Finally, my efforts have borne fruit today,” he added.

Randhawa said during his last meeting with Shah, he had impressed upon him that the Sikh community would be indebted to him if he makes efforts to reopen the venture. He said: “At the time, Shah had given a positive signal. It is a moment of joy for the entire Sikh community that had been yearning for this auspicious day.”

Randhawa said he knew it was a matter of time before the passage was thrown open because “attendance at all religious places was back to normal once the Covid scare had subsided”.

Eager to visit shrine again

Chandigarh: Welcoming the reopening of the Kartarpur corridor by the Union Government, PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said the issue was above politics. He wished the corridor of peace to the gurdwara remained open. He said he was eager to visit Kartarpur Sahib again and would apply soon. TNS