Can’t trust Pakistan’s intent for opening Kartarpur Corridor: Capt. Amarinder Singh

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh made it clear that he did not trust Pakistan’s intent behind opening the Kartarpur Corridor as he believes their agenda is nefarious, political and aimed at exploiting the sentiments of the Sikhs.

Underlining the need to keep a close watch on the Corridor, the Chief Minister said while he was all for the Corridor, which was a matter of devotion for the Sikhs, there was need to exercise caution. “Pakistan is doing it with a different intent, which is not at all aimed at promoting peace”, he said while addressing a press conference to mark two years of his government.

“India’s agenda is religious but theirs is totally disruptive,” said the Chief Minister, citing ‘Referendum 2020’ as an example of ISI’s attempts to exploit Sikh sentiments to divide and destabilize Punjab, and in fact the entire nation. While Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan talks of peace, their Army Chief General Bajwa continues to promote his evil designs, Captain Amarinder warned, stating that the number of ISI-backed terror modules busted in Punjab in recent months indicated their true intent. The grenades used in Maqsudan and Pathankot attacks were of Pakistani origin, he added.

The CM said the number of devotees proposed by Islamabad to be allowed to pass the Corridor was not at all sufficient and he wanted at least 15,000 pilgrims to be permitted to visit the historic gurdwara through the Corridor every day.

He reiterated his demand for `khule darshan’ at the Kartarpur gurdwara, questioning the rationale behind having a Corridor at all if the need for passport and visa was still there. Some identification was, of course, needed, but there was no need for passport etc, he said, adding that such requirement would deprive poor people of darshan.

Asked if the recent air strikes by the Indian Air Force would benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections, Capt. Amarinder Singh said, “Any government of the day, including the Congress, would have retaliated after the Pulwama attack. The government just did its job, which Congress governments have done in the past too and added that the Modi government had simply coined a new phrase – surgical strikes – for such action.”

“Jawans and officers are dying every day,” said the CM, while lashing out at the BJP for politicisation of the armed forces, and their use of it for promoting political interests. “The Congress never politicised the 1965 or the 1971 wars,” he said, adding, “We have always put the nation above political interests.”