Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended ‘langar’ at Dera Baba Nanak Gurudwara in Gurdaspur, Punjab after inaugurating the Integrated Check Post of Kartarpur Corridor. Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh along with Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal gave him company.
Captain Amarinder Singh and Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal had earlier praised the prime minister for making the opening of Kartapur corridor possible.
The Prime Minister said Sikhism founder, Guru Nanak Dev had given the message of unity and brotherhood to the society. He spoke moments before sending off a 500-member strong delegation headed by Giani Harpreet Singh to the Gurudwara in Katarpur, Pakistan. The group includes former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, her husband and Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal and several ministers, MPs and MLAs from Punjab. Modi had a brief chat with Manmohan Singh before the ‘jattha’ left.
Integrated Check Post is a passenger terminal building where pilgrims headed to Kartpur Gurudwara in Pakistan will get clearance to travel through the corridor, which was inaugurated on Saturday.
The corridor connects the Dera Baba Nanak Gurudwara in India’s Punjab with Darbar Sahib Gurudwra at Kartarpur in Narowal district of Pakistan. The corridor was opened on Saturday, three days before Guru Nanak’s 550th anniversary.
The Prime Minister had earlier offered prayers at the historic Ber Sahib Gurdwara at Sultanpur Lodhi. Guru Nanak Dev had spent 14-years of his life at this Gurudwara.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also thanked Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for respecting the sentiments of Indians by addressing the decades-old demand for allowing easy access to the Kartarpur Gurudwara in Pakistan.