BJP delegation meets Modi, demands reopening of Kartarpur corridor

Pilgrimage to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara was suspended in March 2020 because of the Covid-19 outbreak

A delegation of BJP leaders from Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday with a demand for reopening of the Kartarpur corridor ahead of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary on November 19.

The Kartarpur corridor, a visa-free passage linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan to Dera Baba Nanak Sahib in Gurdaspur district, was shut down in March 2020 after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 11-member delegation comprising senior BJP leaders Ashwani Sharma, Saudan Singh, Tarun Chugh, R P Singh, Dushyant Gautam, Tejinder Bagga among others, presented a memorandum to the Prime Minister noting the decline in Covid-19 cases and the vaccination of over 110 crore doses to beneficiaries.

Also Read | Pakistan calls on India to reopen Kartarpur Corridor for pilgrims

“The Dera Baba Nanak shrine went to Pakistan at the time of Partition due to the callousness of the Congress, even though it is located just 3 km from the border. Subsequent governments did nothing to reopen the corridor,” the delegation said in a memorandum to the Prime Minister.

The leaders also said that with the economic and other activities reopening gradually, the hope for reopening of the corridor had been revived.

“We hope your good self will reopen the corridor for the Sikh devotees to celebrate Parkash Purab of Guru Nanak on November 19,” the delegation said.

Bikramjit Singh Cheema, who was part of the delegation, said the Sikh community feels that Kartarpur corridor should now be reopened with precautions.

He said that the issue is of reverence not only to the Sikh community but to all those who follow the Guru’s teaching.

The delegation also thanked the Prime Minister for helping in the evacuation of the Granth Sahib from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.

Rajinder Mohan Singh Chinna said the delegation thanked Modi for helping rescue the Afghan Sikhs and for their safe passage to India.

“The government under the prime minister also marked the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur in a big way. In the same spirit we hope the Kartarpur corridor will be reopened too,” Dyal Singh Sodhi, BJP general secretary Punjab.

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