CHANDIGARH: Who takes the credit for the Kartarpur corridor? In Punjab, there has been a credit war between Navjot Singh Sidhu versus the rest. It became evident as the cricketer-turned-politician refused to go to the Kartarpur shrine in Pakistan with the 575 member Punjab delegation.
On Tuesday, hoardings carrying Sindhu alongside Pakistan PM Imran Khan were seen across Amritsar. They read: "The real heroes behind the Kartarpur corridor. We, Punjabis, admit that the credit goes to Navjot Singh Sidhu and Imran Khan because we are not ungrateful." However, within a few hours, the hoardings were removed by the municipal corporation.
Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said each person contributed to the Kartarpur corridor. "I agree that Sidhu was instrumental in getting the project through and his contribution cannot be ignored. But Pakistani Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had admitted this to Sidhu before Imran Khan was sworn in as Pakistan PM. So it’s clearly a game plan of Pakistani Army and we need to be very cautious,” he added.
Meanwhile, Punjab Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa gave credit to Navjot Singh Sidhu for the opening of Kartarpur Corridor. He also offered to take Sidhu along to Pakistan as part of the initial delegation (jatha) which is going through the corridor on November 9.
But Sidhu does not want to go with the 575 member Punjab delegation to Pakistan through the corridor on November 9 and had asked MEA that he wants to visit the shrine separately. In his letter written to the External Affairs Minister, Sidhu had stated that he should be allowed to travel to Kartarpur through the corridor at 9.30 am on November 9 to meditate at the shrine before attending a function by Pakistan at 11 AM on the same day.
If not possible, then Sindhu said, he should be allowed a day in advance via Atari border as he does not have a Pakistan visa.