Cong MPs meet PM on ‘corridor’ to Sikh shrine
Saturday, 19/05/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120519/punjab.htm#9
Three Congress MPs from Punjab today called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, requesting him that Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur be linked with Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara at Narowal in Pakistan. The shrine in Pakistan is located less than 2 km from the border. Sikhs have been seeking a ‘corridor’ to connect the shrine with India.
Partap Singh Bajwa, Gurdaspur MP, made a written request to the PM in this regard. He was accompanied by Manish Tewari, Ludhiana MP, and Ravneet Singh Bittu, MP from Anandpur Sahib.
Bajwa said the Indian and Pakistani Governments had reached an agreement to build a ‘corridor’ in 1998 to enable Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan without a visa/passport. But there had been no progress on the issue so far.
Bajwa told the Prime Minister that post-Partition, when land on which the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala stands went to Pakistan, India swapped 12 villages near Suleman-ke head works in Fazilka for getting back the land. “We can propose to Pakistan that if it is hands over to India the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara area, we will give Pakistan an equivalent portion of land across the Ravi,” Bajwa suggested.
“A link with the shrine will be an apt confidence-building measure between India and Pakistan”, observed Tewari.
