Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana Kanwar Pal Singh, and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Monday hailed Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh over declining Pak invite for the foundation stone laying ceremony across the border.
“Capt Amarinder is as true a Sikh as he is a nationalist and he has taken the right decision by declining the invite and respecting the sacrifice and memory of all those who have fought Pakistan sponsored terror and Pakistani army on the borders”, said the Speaker adding that the Chief Minister’s credentials are too strong to need any certification from anyone.
He said that the Chief Minister has conveyed a strong message to the Pakistan government in clear and categorical terms that while India welcomes the construction of the Kartarpur corridor, it cannot remain blind to the Pakistani attempts to destabilise India.
“Even our former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has expressed doubts about the sincerity of Pakistani government on the matter”, said Rana while pointing out that Capt Amarinder has also reflected the same views which concern every Punjabi and every Indian.
He said that no matter what the intentions of the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan might be, the Pakistani Army will never let peace prevail between the two countries and they can sabotage it anytime.
Rana said that Capt Amarinder’s stand is also vindicated by the fact that the Pakistan is yet to punish the guilty of those responsible for 26/11 Mumbai attacks. “Rather those responsible for the attacks are given special privileges by Pakistan army and the government,” he pointed while adding that it was no coincidence that when the country is observing the tenth anniversary of the 26/11, Capt Amarinder has done the right thing by declining the invite.
Lauding Capt Amarinder’s decision as a “principled stand” taken in the best interests of Punjab, and in fact the entire nation, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Jakhar said that the Chief Minister’s concerns of terror take over the euphoria prevailing over the Kartarpur Corridor were not misplaced.
“As a seasoned political leader with deep acumen, and as a soldier whose loyalty lay staunchly with his people and country, Capt Amarinder realized the message that could go down to the armed forces and the citizens of India from visiting Pakistan at the current juncture,” said Jakhar, describing the Chief Minister as a statesman who could see beyond what was happening in the present.
Jakhar said that the 10th anniversary of 26/11 stands out as a grim reminder of what can happen if we fail to see the signs, as evidenced in the killings of our soldiers by forces at the Line of Control (LoC) every day and the in recent attacks perpetrated in Punjab by ISI-backed terror groups, he said.