Kartarpur, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday said the Kartarpur Corridor will be a “peace corridor” to end bitterness between India and Pakistan.
She praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his efforts have been reciprocated by Pakistan.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of Kartarpur Corridor in Pakistan, Badal, who is a Shiromani Akali Dal MP from Bathinda, spoke in a different vein from Congress’ Navjot Singh Sidhu who lavished praise on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for the decision.
Shiromani Akali Dal is a partner in the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre and is a rival of Congress in Punjab.
She said when the Berlin Wall can fall, so can hatred between India and Pakistan after opening of the corridor. A new beginning can be made, she said.
“It is a historic day for our country as a wish of crores of Sikhs is being fulfilled. History is being made. What could not happen in 70 years has happened with the blessings of Almighty,” she said.
She said Sikhs and devotees in India were only a short distance from Kartarpur gurdwara but could pay their obeisances from a distance. “They were so near yet so far. Now they have the opportunity to get the closest — for the first time.”
Badal said she came as a devotee and was experiencing limitless bliss which she had not thought would come her way.
Referring to Imran Khan who was a cricketer, she said he would also not thought that he would be the prime minister one day. “I know when Modiji sold tea (in childhood) he would have never thought he would lead 1.25 crore people,” she said.
Referring to the foundation stone of the corridor having been laid in India on Monday, she said she had seen history being made again. “This is a miracle of Baba Nanak.”
Badal said her party had been working on the programmes to mark the 55Oth anniversary of Guru Nanak for seven months and their “number one” demand from the government was Kartarpur Corridor.
“When the Union cabinet took this decision, there was no limit to our happiness. When the Prime Minister took this decision, there came another good news (from Pakistan). It will be a peace corridor for bitterness between the two countries ,” she said.
She said Guru Nanak had spread the message of his life by staying at Kartarpur.
She said they had brought holy water from Darbar Sahib and also some soil. “This corridor will also bring all the religions together.”
She urged Pakistan government to take decisions such as those taken by the Indian government including postage stamps and coins to mark 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and starting a train linking all places associated with Guru Nanak.
“I want to assure you on behalf of my prime minister that the whole world will celebrate the anniversary, there will be happiness and there will be improvement in ties and the corridor will be a message of peace,” she said.
