Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announces that Centre has decided to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from Wednesday, November 17. He said that the decision reflects the immense reverence of Modi government towards Guru Nanak.
“In a major decision, that will benefit large numbers of Sikh pilgrims, PM @Narendramodi govt has decided to re-open the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from tomorrow, Nov 17. This decision reflects the immense reverence of Modi govt towards Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and our Sikh community, he tweeted.
The government’s announcement came ahead of Guru Nanak Jayanti on Friday.
While the Kartarpur corridor was shut down in March 2020 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, India had been raising concerns regarding misuse of the corridor by Khalistani elements since the time of its opening in 2019.
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Reacting to the decision, former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh tweeted: “My profound gratitude to PM @narendramodi and HM @AmitShah for the timely opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. It will provide a chance to thousands of devotees to pay obeisance at the holy shrine on the occasion of Guru Purab of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.”
The Kartarpur corridor provides a visa-free border crossing for pilgrims from India visiting the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan.
The Kartarpur corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district.
Gurpurab, which marks the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, will be celebrated on November 19 this year.
Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib is one of the holiest of shrines for followers of Sikhism. Its reopening is an emotive issue for poll-bound Punjab. Therefore all parties, including the Congress and the Akali Dal, have been demanding that it be reopened.
(With inputs from ANI)
