Modi inaugurates Kartarpur corridor
| Date :10-Nov-2019 |
DERA BABA NANAK :
PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Kartarpur corridor here and flagged off the first batch of over 500 Indian pilgrims. The corridor links Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in this Punjab district. Modi flagged off the first batch of over 500 Indian pilgrims led by Akal Takhat Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib through the corridor, which was thrown open to public on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the passenger terminal building of the corridor on the Indian side, also known as Integrated Check Post, where pilgrims will get clearance to travel through the newly-built 4.5 km-long corridor. Saying that he felt blessed to be on holy land here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday thanked his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan for understanding and respecting India’s sentiments on the issue of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor.
The corridor links Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to the Dera Baba Nanak shrine here. Dedicating the corridor to the nation, the Prime Minister also thanked Pakistan’s workers who worked to help build their portion of the corridor. “I thank Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan miaji. He understood India’s feelings on the Kartarpur corridor issue, gave respect and, keeping in view those feelings, worked accordingly,” he told a gathering at the BSF camp in Shikhaar Masiahan, about eight kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak gurdwara. “I also want to thank the workers of Pakistan who worked at a fast pace to help in building the corridor on their side,” Modi added. He said it was his fortune that he was dedicating the corridor to the nation.
“I am feeling blessed on this holy land... At this moment I get the same feeling all of you get at the time of doing ‘kar sewa’ (religious service),” the Prime Minister said. He also congratulated everybody in the crowd, the country and Sikhs the world over on the occasion. Modi said he dedicated the Kaumi Seva award given to him by Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to Guru Nanak Dev”, he said. The opening of the corridor and the Integrated Check Post before the 550th “Prakash Purb” of Guru Nanak Dev has brought “double delight”, he said. “With this corridor, paying obeisance at Gurudwara Darbar Sahib will become easy. I express gratitude to the Punjab Government, the SGPC and all the workers who were involved in building this corridor,” he said. Guru Nanak Dev, Modi said, is not the legacy of Sikhs alone but an inspiration for entire humanity, he said.
“Guru Nanak Dev besides being a guru, is a thought, the basis of life. Our values, culture, our thoughts, our thinking, our upbringing, our reasoning, our speech, all of these have been honed by pious souls like Guru Nanak,” he said. When Guru Nanak Dev set out on his travels from Sultanpur Lodhi, who knew what change he would usher, he said. Modi said the Guru himself had proclaimed that he had set out on the ‘yatras’ to pull society out of injustice, darkness and inequalities. Modi also touched the issue of environment and drugs on the occasion. “We have become irresponsible about the environment,” the PM said. Among those present at the occasion were Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore, CM Amarinder Singh, former CM Parkash Singh Badal, former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal.
PM pays obeisance at Ber Sahib Gurdwara
SULTANPUR LODHI :
PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning paid obeisance at historic Ber Sahib Gurdwara, before heading for Dera Baba Nanak where he will inaugurate the passenger terminal building of the Kartarpur Corridor. At the Gurdwara here, Modi was received by former Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee chief Jagir Kaur, who is incharge of celebrations connected with 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak Dev. Modi was presented a ‘siropa’ (robe of honour) by Kaur on behalf of the SGPC. Modi spent nearly 20 minutes at the Gurdwara and listened to the ‘kirtan’. At the Gurdwara, Modi was accompanied by Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V P Singh Badnore, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Union Minister and SAD MP, Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Earlier upon reaching here, Modi was received by Amarinder Singh while Badnore and Harsimrat Kaur were also present. Over 5 lakh devotees have paid obeisance at Gurudwara Ber Sahib. Guru Nanak Dev had spent 14 years of his early life at Sultanpur Lodhi and used to take daily bath in holy Kali Bein. Sultanpur Lodhi city is decked up with flowers, hoardings and several colourful gates to welcome the pilgrims.
Imran Khan formally inaugurates corridor
KARTARPUR PAKISTAN Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday formally inaugurated the historic Kartarpur corridor ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. Khan inaugurated the corridor by removing a curtain that was lifted by hot air balloons. A huge ‘kirpan’ (dagger) was displayed at the inauguration site. “I was not aware of the importance of the Kartarpur till a year ago,” Khan told a gathering of over 12,000 devotees, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu. Guru Nanak Dev spent last 18 years of his life at Kartarpur Sahib. Khan welcomed the first batch of the Indian Sikh pilgrims who entered Pakistan through the corridor which links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab’s Gurdaspur. Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the doors of Kartarpur have been opened for Sikh pilgrims. “If the Berlin Wall can be demolished, if the Kartarpur Corridor can be opened, then the temporary boundary of the Line of Control can also be ended,” Qureshi said, invoking the Kashmir issueon the occasion.