Kartarpur Sahib Corridor reopens tomorrow, days ahead of Gurpurab
The central government has decided to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from Wednesday (November 17). The move will allow Sikh pilgrims to visit the revered shrine located in Pakistan following months of closure. The decision comes days ahead of the festival of Gurpurab on November 19, which marks the birth of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Dev. Here are more details on this.
Home Minister Amit Shah tweets update
"In a major decision that'll benefit large numbers of Sikh pilgrims, govt has decided to re-open Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from tomorrow, Nov 17. This decision reflects the immense reverence of Modi govt toward Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and our Sikh community," Amit Shah tweeted.
Why does it matter?
The Centre's decision has come just months before the Punjab Assembly elections which are due to be held early next year. This implies the move could prove beneficial to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rules Centre but has little following in the northern state. Members of the Sikh community have been miffed with the BJP over three new farm laws passed last year.
COVID-19 curbs will be put in place
The announcement comes just two days after a team of Punjab BJP leaders met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, submitting a memorandum and requesting him to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor to Pakistan. Now, coronavirus-linked restrictions such as double vaccination, social distancing, and RT-PCR testing, may be put in place, The Indian Express reported citing sources.
What is the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor?
Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is a 4.7-kilometer-long corridor that provides visa-free access to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It was opened in November 2019 but has remained shut since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, Pakistani officials had urged India to reopen the corridor and allow pilgrims to visit the holy site.
