All roads from Punjab now lead to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan. For, the politicians, cutting across party lines, are heading towards the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib a day after the Centre announced to reopen the much-sought-after corridor.
Kartarpur Sahib corridor, connecting Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Gurdaspur district to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Narowal district, was reopened on Wednesday 19 months after it was closed in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak on March 16, 2020. The corridor was inaugurated on November 9, 2019.
Not only the Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, along with his Cabinet and party colleagues, would be visiting the revered shrine, but the leaders from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and also the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also announced to visit the Gurdwara to pay obeisance.
Chief Minister Channi, accompanied by 10 Cabinet Ministers and some party legislators, are scheduled to cross over the corridor on Thursday; and a day later, on November 19 (Friday), six ministers and some MLAs would go for darshan.
“We have been allowed a delegation of 50 people. So, I along with some Ministers and MLAs, and some officers would be visiting Kartarpur Sahib tomorrow (Thursday). Day after, other ministers and MLAs would be going,” said Channi, after his meeting with farmer leaders on Wednesday.
As per the information available, the visit is sponsored by the State Government. The program regarding the visit was finalised after the State Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday evening.
Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, who played a vanguard role in opening of the corridor between two warring nations, is also expected to visit Pakistan again. However, it is not clear whether he would be the part of the Punjab Government delegation or would visit in his personal capacity.
LED BY MANN, AAP LEADERS TO VISIT KARTARPUR ON NOV 19
AAP legislators, under the leadership of party’s state unit president Bhagwant Mann, will visit Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib on November 19 — on the birth anniversary of first Sikh master Guru Nanak Dev. “It is of great happiness to open Sri Kartarpur Sahib corridor. On the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev’s parkash utsav on November 19, the party MLAs will visit Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib, Pakistan, where Guru Nanak Dev ji had cultivated for a long time. On the occasion of Gurpurab, prayers will be offered for the progress, prosperity and happiness of Punjab,” said Mann on Wednesday. Mann said that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Government has already included the Kartarpur corridor in the ‘Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Yojana’. Under this scheme, AAP Government has provided free travel to the people of Delhi of various religious places.
BJP’s 15-LEADER DELEGATION ALSO TO VISIT
As the BJP is going all out to woo the state’s Sikh community ahead the Punjab elections, the party’s 15-member delegation is also scheduled to visit the Sikh shrine. Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma, and Punjab BJP vice-president Harjeet Grewal, among other leaders would be the part of the delegation.
FLORAL WELCOME TO INDIAN PILGRIMS AS CORRIDOR RE-OPENED AFTER 611 DAYS
As the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, between India and Pakistan, reopened on Wednesday after a gap of 611 days, the Indian pilgrims were welcomed by Pakistani authorities and the Pakistan Gurdwara Management Committee by showering rose petals, offering malas, and warm greetings. And in Gurdwara Sahib, the sangat was offered langar of dates and meethe chaawal (sweet rice). For visiting the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, Indian pilgrims are first reaching Dera Baba Nanak via private vehicle or the state transport. After this, they are going through the corridor till Kartarpur Sahib. The devotees are crossing the entry points on the zero line on foot after passing the necessary immigration related verification. On reaching Pakistan, special vehicles are arranged to take them across to the Gurdwara Sahib.
DEVOTEES STOPPED FOR NOT HAVING RT-PCR REPORT
As the COVID-19 is yet now over, the Pakistan authorities have made RT-PCR negative report, not more than 72 hours old, mandatory for the visit. The authorities have also imposed a condition of having both doses of COVID vaccine to visit the Gurdwara Sahib. Apart from this, people will also have to strictly follow the COVID protocol. Some of the visitors, who were not having the RT-PCR negative report, were not allowed to go. Two of the visitors from Delhi, Harpal Singh and Ravindrajit Singh, though had the permission to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, were not allowed. “We were total five people, out of which three have gone to visit the Gurdwara and two of us were sent back as we don’t have the COVID report,” they said. Besides, after entering the Pakistan territory, the Indian pilgrims have to undergo Rapid Antigen Test. Apart from this, there will be no other test in Pakistan.
TOTAL 49 DEVOTEES PAID VISIT ON DAY 1
As per information available, a total of 49 devotees were allowed entry through the corridor for darshan. Among the visitors include Baba Sukhdeep Singh Bedi, the 17th generation of Guru Nanak Dev. Some of the devotees, who visited the Gurdwara Sahib on Wednesday, had applied through the Gurdaspur district administration; while some reached Dera Baba Nanak with permission from New Delhi. As the general registration process is yet to be started, it seems the common devotees will have to wait for another eight to 10 days for darshan.