Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu drew fresh flak over the Kartarpur Sahib corridor issue on Tuesday, when Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal said that Sidhu had been reprimanded for what they called "meddling" in a matter between two countries. While Sukhbir Badal called him a "traitor" for hugging the Pakistan army chief and said that politics "is not a laughter channel", Harsimrat Kaur said that Sidhu should not meddle in the affairs of two countries. Sidhu, on his part said that he had been assured by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that she would be writing a letter to Pakistan on the Kartarpur corridor issue.
Kartarpur Sahib is the place where the founder of Sikh religion Guru Nanak Dev breathed his last. It is located 4 km across the India-Pakistan border, and thousands of Sikh devouts everyday pay obeisance from this side of the border. The Pakistan army chief had hinted that a corridor would be opened for Sikh pilgrims.
Tuesday's development is a classic example of scoring political points over a religious issue. Kartarpur Sahib issue relates to the faith and belief of over 10 crore Sikhs and Punjabi and Sindhi communities. Sikhs revere the religious place from the bottom of their hearts, and they do desire free passage to the gurdwara. The person who can get this done will surely gain the affection of all devout Sikhs.
Sidhu may be trying to gain political mileage out of this since the day he hugged the Pakistani army chief, and Akali leaders do not want him to take credit. It would be better if all of them keep politics out of this religious issue.
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