Going all out to realise his efforts for the opening up of Kartarpur Sahib corridor despite all the criticism, Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has shot off a communiqué to the Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj urging her to “step up and open the door”.
Sidhu, who has been in the eye of storm for heaping praises on India’s warring neighbouring country Pakistan, has asked Swaraj to “make every possible effort and bring boundless joy and happiness to the Sikh community world over” on the demand to open up a Kartarpur Sahib corridor.
In his letter dated September 8, Sidhu said: “When opportunity knocks, kindly step up and open the door”.
“Now an opportunity has knocked on our doors. Pakistan has shown a positive intent towards the long pending demand of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor,” he said.
Sidhu said: “Pilgrims and we all have been demanding for this corridor since years. Some positivity came on this issue when I visited Pakistan for the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan. But now with their Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary categorically saying that Corridor will be opened and even visa won’t be required to visit this as part of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, it is time for India to take a positive step on this highly emotional issue.”
He added that opening of this Corridor will be a huge thing for the Sikh community all over the world. Even though both neighbours have had sour relations for decades, but the corridor, if opened, can bring peace and prosperity between the two countries, he said adding that it can “break barriers, build bridges and improve relations between the two nations”.
He urged Swaraj that appropriate measures on the Kartarpur Sahib corridor must be taken as Sikh sentiments are strongly attached with it.
Defending his demand, Sidhu stated that many historical Gurudwaras were left in Pakistan when the Partition took place in 1947. Since then, the Sikhs living in India, who always offer prayers to pay obeisance in the separated Gurudwaras have to rely on visas to make a visit to the holy shrines left there, he said.