Chandigarh, September 04, 2018 :

The Shiromani Akali Dal today launched a scathing attack on Cabinet Minister Mr. Navjot Singh Sidhu on the issue of opening up of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor by Pakistan Government and said that his action has instead resulted in blocking of the proposal which was being taken up by the SAD leadership led by Sh. Sukhbir Singh Badal.

In a statement issued here today, Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa National Spokesman of the SAD, said that the Shiromani Gurudwara  Prabhandhak  Committee (SGPC), the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC)  and the SAD were already taking up the issue with the Pakistan High Commission directly  as well as with the Pakistan government  through Indian government since long time.  Taking up this ongoing process forward on December 20th, 2017 the SAD President Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal had met Pakistan High Commissioner in India Mr. Sohail Mehmood in New Delhi and had taken up the proposal to open by Kartarpur Sahib corridor during the coming 550th birth anniversary of first Sikh Guru Guru Nanak Dev ji. He said that at that time the Pakistan High Commissioner had given positive response to the proposal and the SAD was hopeful that sangat will be able to get chance of darshan of Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara once the Pak government agrees.

He said that it is very surprising to note that now when the a Spokesman of the Pakistan government has categorically stated that there is no question of opening up of Kartarpur Sahib corridor in isolation of other issue, why Mr. Navjot Singh Sidhu has chosen to be on ‘silent mode’ and not react to it ?. He said that people were expecting that he will remind the Pakistan government of the commitment which he had claimed that Pakistan Army Chief Mr. Qamar Javed Bajwa had discussed with him of opening up of Kartarpur Sahib corridor.  “But his silence is speaking everything”, added Mr. Sirsa.

Mr. Sirsa said also urged the Pakistan government that they should not mix up the stance of the SAD with that of Mr. Navjot Sidhu who is known for his lies  in the country. He said that opening of Kartarpur Sahib corridor for 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji was very emotional issue for not only the Sikhs in India but for all the Punjabis settled world over. He said that people are expecting a positive response from the Pakistan government  and are very hopeful that it will move forward on the issue which is being taken up with it by the  representative bodies of Sikhs including the SGPC and DSGPC.

He also lashed out at Mr. Sidhu that he has mislead the people on the Kartarpur Sahib corridor issue and said that   it was most unfortunate that with a single motive to divert attention of people from his his ‘hug’ with the Pakistan  army chief, Mr. Sidhu used the name of the first Sikh Guru.

Mr. Sirsa said that though the Pakistan Government has trashed the claim  of Mr. Sidhu on Kartarpur Sahib corridor, the SAD will continue to take up the issue as it still has time to work on it.  He asked Mr. Sidhu to apologize to the Punjabis settled world over for his misleading statement which he gave while sitting on Pakistani soil.