Amritsar (Punjab): Hours ahead of the historic opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, bickering continues between India and Pakistan over the 20 dollar fees imposed by Islamabad on pilgrims visiting the holy Sikh shrine. The tumult also visible internally in Pakistan with Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeting waiver of fees services and passport requirements on 9th November and 12th- the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. But the Pakistani army asserting otherwise. Even as confusion prevails over what will be applicable to the official Indian Jattha on Saturday when Prime Minister Modi and his counterpart Imran Khan inaugurate the historic corridor in separate ceremonies , the mood remains upbeat in Dera Baba Nanak.
Just two kilometres away from the 4.7 kilometre long corridor in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, the village of Dera Baba Nanak has been spruced up with festoons. Pilgrims from across Punjab to Rajasthan despite not being a part of the official delegation , have been camping in Gurudwaras waiting to undertake the journey at the earliest possible before they return home. Men and women, old and young, walking up to the zero point to look at the divine Darbar Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan from a distance longingly. School children queued up and marching up to the last Indian point past the newly built Passenger Terminal Building and Integrated Check Post hours before security tightened in the area for PM Modi’s visit.
As ETV Bharat spoke to the emotional teary eyed devotees, many of them gave credit to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for his push that helped the two decades old dream to materialise,despite the controversies surrounding him and his Pakistan visit to attend Imran Khan’s swearing in ceremony last year where he had raised the issue of the corridor. “I personally feel that Imran Khan wanted to extend a hand of friendship to our country through Sidhu because of their friendship. Sportsmen are basically not political. Baba Nanak will make it a corridor of friendship between two countries,” said Dr. Satender Nirjhar, a surgeon from Batala who has personally constantly pursued the Kartarpur issue for many years during his travels to the other side of LoC and meetings with top Pakistani leadership.
The Sikh devotees, many of them also from the poorest of poor sections, called the imposition of the 20 dollars fees and demand for a passport for identification as unfair. They hope that Pakistan will waive off these conditions. “We will be happy the day the corridor is open and free for pilgrims. How will the poor people pay this amount? 1200 rupees is a lot of money for a poor man. It is difficult even to buy a bus or train ticket to travel all the way.There are people who struggle even for a meal,” said 73 year old Sukhdev Singh from Sukhnur district. “I have brought my Aadhar card and I do want to pay my respect even if it takes a week to visit Darbar Sahib. A rich man can pay the fees amount or produce a passport. It is not possible for a poor man,”said 80 year old Gurbachan Singh from Jalandhar.
Meanwhile security has now been heightened across Gurdaspur district where PM Modi will pay obeisance at Ber Sahib Gurudwara in Sultanpur Lodhi at 9am on Saturday. He will then attend the official ceremony at Dera Baba Nanak and inaugurate the Integrated Check Post of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor post noon.
