Dera Baba Nanak, November 27: What was meant to be a corridor of peace has turned into a battleground of sorts between political rivals in Punjab. At ground zero, political opponents took potshots at each other to take credit for the Kartarpur corridor.
But it was Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh who dropped a bombshell during the Kartapur foundation stone-laying ceremony. Singh blamed Pakistan for fomenting terror in India. In a scathing attack, he warned Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa against further attacks in India.
Singh said, “People like General Bajwa think they can motivate elements in Punjab and cause disturbance like they did 20 years ago. We want peace and progress, but they want to cause disturbance.”
Lashing out at Pakistan’s invitation, he said, “I want to go to Kartarpur, and also visit Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and Panja Sahib Gurdwara again, but cannot go there as I have to pass through Pakistan, which is killing my people every day.”
But soon, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu joined Singh in his sentiments. “Some countries believe in state-sponsored terrorism and send terrorists to India to carry out attacks. I want to tell them that India will not tolerate terrorism and they will also not get anything by doing such things,” Naidu said.
Union Minister Hardeep Puri also said he concurred with what Singh and V-P Naidu said. Speaking to India Today TV, Puri said, “Let’s not have too much euphoria over bettering of [India-Pakistan] relationship.”
The stage where central and state ministers shared the dais in what was meant to be a historic event saw old hostilities between India and Pakistan dominate the camaraderie at Dera Baba Nanak, the venue for the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Kartarpur corridor on the Indian side.
But it was Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal who accused Singh of jeopardizing the groundbreaking ceremony to be held in Pakistan on Wednesday. “Amarinder Singh’s comments are inopportune and seem to be a bid to jeopardize the Karatarpur sahib initiative. Why cannot Singh support the good cause initiated by the Modi government,” Badal said.
Akali leader Sukhbir Badal also took a jibe at Singh saying, “It seems Singh is hitting out at Navjyot Singh Sidhu rather than Pakistan Army chief Bajwa.”
Punjab Minister Navjyot Singh Sidhu who had flown especially from Madhya Pradesh for the event was conspicuous by his absence. However, speaking to media earlier in the day Sidhu had called Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan an angel.
Even as Amarinder Singh denied going to Pakistan on a Pakistani invitation, Navjot Singh Sidhu readily accepted the offer and thanked his friend Imran Khan.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Gobind Singh Longowal, who was present at the event said, “The Sikh community and I are grateful to both PM Modi and Pakistan PM Imran Khan for the Kartapur Sahib corridor to become a reality soon.” However, he added, that the politics on the corridor meant for a religious purpose is unfortunate.
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