As Pakistan Government has virtually granted permission to visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara, Punjab lawmakers now wanted to bring it here in the Indian Territory. For, the Vidhan Sabha on Friday unanimously passed a resolution urging the Centre to swap land with Pakistan to bring the historic Gurudwara in India.
Proposed by SAD president Sukhbir Badal, the demand was supported by not only his party colleague but also the Congress MLAs and Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa who pointed that similar demand was made by his father when he was Dera Baba Nanak MLA.
With the passing of the resolution, the State would now raise the issue with the Central Government, putting on offer nearly 11,000 acres of land from the state in lieu of the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan.
During the discussion on the resolution moved by the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder to thank the Pak and Indian Governments for opening the corridor, besides urging the Central Government for completing the corridor by December 2020 before 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Sukhbir urged to move the resolution for swapping the land.
AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu and SAD MLA Bikram Majithia too supported him, with Congress Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa pointing that this could be done as his father had also raised the issue with the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi which was also considered seriously, but could not fructify in the wake of 1970 war.
Dera Baba Nanak stands opposite the Kartarpur Sahib gurudwara on the Indian side, and is the place from where the Kartarpur Corridor is to be constructed to Pakistan’s Narowal district.
Earlier, appreciating the opening of the corridor, Capt Amarinder reiterated his warning to the Pakistan Army to stop terror activities in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir declaring that he would be the first one to visit the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara through the corridor, provided Pakistan ensured that peace was not compromised on this side of the border.
To support his apprehension, Capt Amarinder cited an article written by defence expert saying, “It is a project of the Pakistan Army, not that of Imran Khan (Pak Prime Minister). Imran Khan was well-intentioned, but the Pakistan Army is not, and we should not fall prey to their sinister designs,” he reiterated.
However, Capt Amarinder’s apprehensions on Pak using corridor to revive terrorism in India, especially Punjab, was not supported by most of the MLAs, including of his own party. Instead, they urged the Chief Minister to send across the message of love and peace, and shun “negativity” over the same.
Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka pointed that whenever India trusted Pakistan and extended friendly hand, they attacked us, but we should give peace a chance.
Another Congress MLA Harminder Singh Gill said that the Chief Minister’s apprehensions were ill-founded.
AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan said the “our Chief Minister” should give the message of love and peace, while leaving it to the Army to take care of the border.
SAD MLAs Sukhbir Badal and HS Chandumajra also asked the Chief Minister not to use “words” which may create hurdle in the years-long pending demand of the Sikh community.
“Only people from Punjab would go there, no one from there would come to Indian side. And I am sure that extra care would be taken to ensure the security,” said Sukhbir.
Majithia said that the move to exchange land would undo the historic blunder that happened while British were dividing India. “Also, land-swapping will take care of the misgivings put forth by Captain Amarinder Singh,” he said.
MLAs THANKED SIDHU, CAPT’S RESOLUTION NOT
Fine innings by cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu in the not-so-friendly match between India and Pakistan over the opening of Kartarpur corridor was played down by his own “captain”.
Virtually keeping him out of the appreciation game, majority of the MLAs, both from opposition and ruling, did not fail to thank Sidhu, while Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh relegated his party and cabinet colleague virtually to the position of an “extra”.
Sidhu, who undoubtedly had played a significant role in opening of the corridor, listened to the entire discussion silently, but with a smile. And expressing his gratitude by nodding and bowing every time a MLA mentioned his name.
Congress MLA Verka appreciated Sidhu for bringing the message of opening of the corridor from across the border during his first visit. AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan demanded that names of everyone, including Sidhu, be included in the resolution for thanking him to realising Sikhs’s long pending demand.
Another AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu too demanded that Sidhu’s name should also be mentioned in the resolution, for making a beginning.
Congress MLA Harminder Singh Gill said that it was Sidhu’s visit that revived the issue, with the Pakistan taking the first step by offering to open the corridor.
SAD MLA Gurpratap Singh Wadala also that “everyone, who was responsible for making the corridor a reality should be thanked, and that includes Navjot Singh Sidhu”.