As India gears up to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Imran Khan is resorting to politics and to use Katarpur to further his Khalistan agenda. The Imran Khan government is now attempting to communalise the Kartarpur corridor by waiving off two requirements to visit the holy Shrine just for the Sikh community, deliberately ignoring other followers of Guru Nanak Dev, including Hindus. Imran Khan also said there will be no fees charged to Sikh pilgrims on the inauguration day.
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh demanded that the conditions of producing a passport and sending an advance application for access to Kartarpur corridor, be waived off for other communities too, Imran Khan has yet to respond.
In a move which resembles his government’s treatment towards the minority Hindus, Imran Khan has relaxed the requirements for just the Sikh community and not the Hindus which is directly against the teachings of Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak Dev is revered by people from all faiths irrespective of their religious beliefs and faiths, caste and communities. This is Khan’s yet another attempt to divide the followers of Guru Nanak.
That millions of Hindus also follow the teachings of Guru Nanak and visit Gurudwaras, is lost on Imran Khan. As Indian followers of Guru Nanak, mostly Sikhs and many Hindus, wait eagerly to observe Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary in the holy shrine, Imran Khan is using the Kartarpur corridor to fill Pakistan’s coffers and spread Khalistani terrorism in India.
In a move which smacks of desperation, the Pakistan government has decided to charge $20 or Rs 1,425 from every Indian pilgrim which is estimated to add more than Rs 21 crore to Pakistan’s coffers. Constant appeals made to waive off the fee has continued to fall on deaf ears.
Even more, concerning are Pakistan’s efforts to use Kartarpur as a means to export terror to India. In September this year, an alleged Pakistani spy had been arrested from Gurdaspur cantonment area on charges of passing vital information regarding Kartarpur corridor construction work to Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Vipin Singh was arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan as there are increasing concerns that Pakistan will use the information to harm pilgrims who visit the corridor after the construction completes. Singh was also nabbed with a mobile phone through which he communicated with the Pakistani officials over Whatsapp and shared the images of the Kartarpur corridor construction.
There are strong concerns that through the Kartarpur corridor Pakistan may attempt to brainwash Indian youth to carry out spy work in India and Imran Khan’s callous and suspicious approach only exacerbates the Khalistani threat as a recent Intelligence report on the Kartarpur corridor has warned of Pakistan’s ‘Khalistan plot’ through the construction and opening of the Kartarpur corridor.
The report cautions the authorities that Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI could attempt to radicalise the Sikh youth who may visit Pakistan via the Kartarpur corridor to offer prayers at Kartarpur Sahib gurudwara and it further claims that the ISI could “exploit” the sentiments of the Sikh pilgrims and could mislead them in working against India by promoting Khalistan secessionist movement. The intelligence report also revealed how Pakistan had used ‘Jathas’ or Sikh religious groups, to carry out its nefarious plans to promote pro-Khalistan sentiments in India.
Pakistan is perhaps witnessing its worst economic cycle in the past decade as the Imran Khan government has taken up severe austerity measures as right from buffaloes to cars and biscuits, nothing has been spared as Imran Khan inherited an ailing economy and successfully dug it to the ground. Pakistan’s coffers are running on empty and the country has to often seek a bailout from the IMF and China. If it continues at this rate, it will be a question of ‘if’ not ‘when’ as Pakistan succumbs to the Chinese debt trap and become a full-blown Chinese territory. At such a precarious time, the Imran Khan government instead of focusing on the economy has invested its entire resources to export terror to India and thereby divide the nation.
Wait, is he saying Hindu pilgrims won't be allowed? Can someone clarify if only Sikh pilgrims are going to be allowed?
There is a long and rich tradition of Hindus visiting Gurdwaras. It will be shameful if there is discrimination among pilgrims. https://t.co/XtVTysgQtF— Kunal Singh (@d_extrovert) November 3, 2019
There is palpable excitement from the Pakistan side over the Kartarpur corridor as the revanchist state attempts to hit two birds with one stone. While people like Navjot Singh Sidhu will again attempt to get close with Imran Khan and Bajwa, India would be better advised to take utmost caution post the opening of the Kartarpur corridor.
