The corridor will pave the way for peace and greater progress of all our people: Vice President M Venkiah Naidu
WEB DESK AMN / Gurdaspur
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today blamed Paksitan army and its chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa for terror activities in the state and killings of Indian soldiers along the border.
Interestingly the chief minister remarks came at an event where he laid the foundation stone for the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor along with Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. The groundbreaking ceremony was held at village Mann of district Gurdaspur near Indo Pak border.
“I want to say something to their (Pakistan) army chief. I have also been in the Army and General Bajwa he is very junior to me in service… Does the Army teach (you) to kill our jawans at the border? You kill them with sniper. Have you ever been told that you killed people in Pathankot, Dinanagar,” CM said.
Referring to the grenade attack on the Nirankari Bhavan in Amritsar in which three people were killed, he said: “People were offering prayers in a village and grenades were hurled at them. Is it what is taught by the Army? It is cowardliness,” said the 76-year-old Singh, himself an ex-Indian Army officer.
He said that it is common knowledge that it is the Army that calls the shots in Pakistan.
“We believe in peace and we are giving a message of peace from here. But, their generals should understand that we have a large Army and we are prepared… And this should not happen as nobody wants war. We all want to carry out development in a peaceful manner,” he said.
Earlier, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Singh laid the foundation stone for the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, which will facilitate easy passage to Sikh pilgrims to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion Vice President M Venkiah Naidu said he hoped the corridor will pave the way for peace and greater progress of all our people. He said that he is hopeful that the small but significant step we are taking today will lead us all towards that goal of a harmonious, peaceful, fulfilling life. He said it is a day that promises to bring us closer to the Guru we all revere, a Guru who gave illumination to humanity for the last five and a half centuries.
Punjab Governor V. P Singh Badnore was the guest of honour. Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Hardeep Singh Puri and Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh were also present.
Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib is situated in district Narowal 4 KM away from Indo Pak border in Pakistan. Presently Sikh pilgrims have to go through long visa processes and they have to wait for the particular dates of buses to reach Gurudwara via Wagah border only.
This Gurudwara has a great significance for the Sikhs because the first Guru Sh Guru Nanak Dev ji spent the last 18 years of his life there and died there. This 4 lane highway corridor will have all modern facilities and amenities for the pilgrims. Sikh and Sindhi communities of both countries have welcomed the decision.