‘Laudatory’ says Punjab CM Channi on reopening of Kartarpur Corridor, several leaders welcome move

“I warmly welcome the decision to reopen the Sri Kartapur Sahib Corridor on the auspicious occasion of 552nd Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji,” Charanjit Singh Channi said.

Following the Union government’s decision to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib corridor from November 17, several leaders in Punjab, both within the BJP and from the opposition, welcomed the decision. Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi said that the entire state cabinet would pay its obeisance at the Kartarpur Corridor on November 18 as part of the first delegation, a day after it will be resumed.

Indian pilgrims at the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib after the inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor in 2019.(Reuters)

“I warmly welcome the decision to reopen the Sri Kartapur Sahib Corridor on the auspicious occasion of 552nd Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. This laudatory step has fulfilled aspirations of millions of devotees who've been deprived of 'Darshan Didare' due to COVID pandemic,” Channi tweeted.

Meanwhile, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu called it a “welcome step” and said, “may the corridor of the Great Guru remain open eternally to shower blessings on one and all,” in a tweet.

President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party Sukhbir Singh Badal also expressed his appreciation and said that his party welcomes the move. “We welcome the move to open the Kartarpur Corridor ahead of Gurpurab. We have raised this issue multiple times to GoI. The daily prayers by the Sikh community who were looking forward to visiting the shrine on the pious day have been heard,” he said.

Raghav Chadha, national spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), highlighted that the Arvind Kejriwal-led government’s ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana’ in Delhi earlier included the corridor. “Aam Aadmi Party welcomes the re-opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. The Kejriwal government had previously added Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to the Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana wherein devotees are taken on the pilgrimage at the expense of the government,” he said.

Earlier in the day, former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh had thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah for the Centre’s decision. “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,” he tweeted.

National Commission for Minorities chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura too welcomed the decision and thanked Modi and Shah. “ Hon'ble Prime Minister and Hon'ble Home Minister has special respect for sikh community. They have so far fulfilled all the aspirations of the Community,” he tweeted.

Among BJP leaders, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and party’s national general secretary Tarun Chugh lauded the decision. While Puri said that the move showed Modi’s “respect and reverence” to Guru Nanak and “affection” towards the Sikh community, Chugh described the move “a great gift” to the devotees of the Sikh guru.