The name of the political leader who paved way for the construction of Kartarpur corridor has reportedly not been mentioned in the list of pilgrims included in the first jatha (batch) to visit the Holy shrine in Pakistan.
While the list released by the Indian Government made it clear that former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Harsimrat Kaur Badal, besides Parliamentarians and legislators from the State would be the part of the first jatha of 575 pilgrims, senior Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu’s name is conspicuous by its absence.
All attempts to contact Sidhu in this regard remained unsuccessful as the senior politicians in Punjab claimed that they had no confirmation either about his presence or absence.
Motor-mouth Sidhu, whose hug with Pak Army Chief on the sidelines of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s swearing-in ceremony in August last had created a flutter back home, has been maintaining a distance with the media and even restricted his public appearances after he resigned from the State Cabinet in protest against the change in his portfolio post 2019 Lok Sabha election results.
A virtual credit war broke out between the Congress and the SAD-BJP for the opening of Kartarpur corridor right from the day cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu claimed that Pak has assured him of opening the corridor before 550th birth anniversary of Sikhs’ first master Guru Nanak Dev. But, Sidhu was dubbed as “traitor” for hugging Pakistan army chief.
In fact, the Congress party in general, and Capt Amarinder in particular, never accredited opening of the sacred passage between two nations to Sidhu.
Even a year after, Sidhu’s supporters are still according recognition to his efforts, while the Centre has all along been claiming that the entire process was carried out because of its initiative, and had been continuously taking up the issue with the concerned.
Pakistan is building the corridor from the Indian border to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, while India is constructing the other part from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district up to the border.
Capt Amarinder will lead the inaugural all-party jatha to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib on November 9 soon after the inauguration of the corridor of which Dr Manmohan Singh, Harsimrat Badal, Hardeeep Puri, MPs and MLAs would also be a part.
The jatha would only pay obeisance at at the shrine built at the site where Guru Nanak spent the final years of his life and return the same day.