Centre gives Gurpurab gift: Kartarpur Corridor to open today after 19 mths

Wednesday, 17 November 2021 | PNS | Chandigarh

Exactly 19 months after the historic corridor linking Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Gurdaspur district to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal, Pakistan, was closed in the wake of the Covid outbreak in March 2020, the Central Government on Monday announced its reopening for pilgrims on Wednesday.

Punjab’s politicians transcended political boundaries to welcome the announcement, which comes just two days ahead of the birth anniversary of the first Sikh Guru Nanak Dev that falls on November 19. Besides, Sikh leaders, activists also hailed the move.

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the re-opening of the corridor ahead of Gurpurab, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi announced that the entire State Cabinet would pay obeisance at Kartarpur Sahib on November 18 as a part of the first delegation after reopening of the historic corridor.

“It’s a happy moment that the Kartarpur Corridor is reopening and the prayers of the Sikh community are being answered. I had met Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah as Chief Minister and had requested them. Now they’ve announced it. I thank them. The Punjab Cabinet will be part of the first jatha for paying obeisance on November 18,” said Channi.

Also hailing the Centre’s decision, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) — known as Sikhs’ mini-parliament, also announced that it would send a group to Darbar Sahib Gurdwara in Kartarpur.

The group which will pay obeisance at the gurdwara on November 19, will be led by the SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, besides a ragi jatha (group of Gurbani singers) and other members of the gurdwara body. The SGPC has also appealed to the Sikh sangat to take part in the ‘jatha’ to celebrate Guru Nanak’s 552nd birth anniversary at Kartarpur Sahib.

Former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh also took to Twitter expressing his profound gratitude to Modi and Shah for the timely opening of the corridor. “It will provide a chance to thousands of devotees to pay obeisance at the holy shrine on the occasion of Gurupurab of Guru Nanak Dev Ji,” he tweeted.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal said that he and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had written letters to the Prime Minister calling for the same. Lauding the decision, he added that the “sentiment of an entire community” had now been fulfilled.

Describing it as a “welcome step”, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu said: “The reopening of the Corridor of infinite possibilities…invaluable gift for Nanak naam levas…May the corridor of the Great Guru remain open eternally to shower blessings on one and all….Sarbat da bhala.”