Sidhu: Let’s be positive on Kartarpur corridor

JALANDHAR: Following reports of the visit of Indian High Commissioner to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan and resuming of bilateral talks on the Indus Water Treaty, Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu is quite hopeful over the opening of the Kartarpur corridor.

Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu bows before his wife and former CPS Navjot Kaur during a college programme in Jalandhar on Friday. Tribune Photo: Sarabjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 31

Following reports of the visit of Indian High Commissioner to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan and resuming of bilateral talks on the Indus Water Treaty, Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu is quite hopeful over the opening of the Kartarpur corridor.

Almost two weeks since he visited Pakistan to attend Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony, Sidhu said, “I do not see this corridor as a passage, but a means of opening avenues between the two countries. Amritsar, which was once the Asia’s biggest mandi, can be revived. Even other countries have been looking forward to opening of this corridor, which can extend up to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Moscow, Central Asia and even Europe.”

He said, “I just want that if Pakistan shows a little positivity, we should respond with double positivity. We should not spread any negativity on the issue and those speaking against this new bonhomie need to just go silent”.

Asked if he was saying all this for Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, he replied, “I am mature enough for all this. I have never said a word on this”.

Regarding the recent debate in the Vidhan Sabha over the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report, he said, “The Congress and the AAP showed complete unanimity as both were concerned about Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege.”

Over Chief Minister not naming former CM and SADpatron Parkash Singh Badal for sacrilege, he tried to evade reply. “Almost everybody named him. Even the former DGP has given an affidavit that has embroiled him,” he said.