'Nobody can deny Sidhu's role in Kartarpur corridor'

Punjab Congress Chief Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday said nobody could deny the contribution made by party leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for the opening of the Kartarpur corridor.

However, he said it was everybody's contribution that made the project a reality.

"While you are talking of Navjot Singh Sidhu, I must say nobody can deny the contribution he has made. It cannot be ignored," Jakhar said in response to a question that hoardings had surfaced in Amritsar, describing Sidhu as the "real hero" for making the corridor a reality.

"Everybody knows what is a particular person's contribution to a particular cause," Jakhar said speaking to the media on the sidelines of the special Punjab Assembly session held to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev.

He said at the same time, people were also aware about the efforts made by successive Congress governments at the Centre in this regard.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had also pursued the case, he said.

"It was his grandfather who renovated Shri Kartarpur Sahib. It was his father who made a sarovar at Nankana Sahib and it is he who has been pursuing this case," he said, adding that it was "everybody's contribution" that paid off with the blessings of almighty.

"If credit goes to somebody, it goes to Guru Nanak Dev ji with whose blessings we are seeing this happen," he said.

Jakhar also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan premiere Imran Khan for the opening of the corridor.

Commenting on a video clip that featured Khalistani separatists, Jakhar said, "At the same time, there are apprehensions and those apprehensions have been proved right with the release of this video which is trying to propagate secessionist feelings."

He said it showed that there was no clear cut demarcation of authority in Pakistan.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had also strongly reacted to the use of pictures of Khalistani separatist leaders in an official video released by the Pakistan government on the Kartarpur corridor.

The video was released on Monday, just days ahead of the inaugural ceremony of the corridor, which will connect the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Punjab with the Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur of Pakistan.

"The Pakistan army and the ISI have vested interests because they can survive only if there are tensions between both countries," Jakhar said.

"Though we are thankful that we have an opportunity to pay our respects at Kartarpur Sahib, it does not mean that we have to lower our guard. It is our responsibility to keep our guard up because we have to take care of these things," he added.