Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday credited his visit to Pakistan for Imran Khan’s swearing-in for the decision by the Indian and Pakistan governments to build the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate easy pilgrimage to Sikh devotees to historic Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib across the border.
Campaigning in Madhya Pradesh, Sidhu said the decision would benefit 15-16 crore Sikhs. Sidhu said his hug was still better than the Rafale deal.
His hug to Pakistan Army chief during the swearing-in visit led to a huge controversy.
“Kam se kam vo rafale deal toh nahi thi,” said Navjot Sidhu on the BJP criticising him during Madhya Pradesh campaign, for hugging Pakistan Army Chief #KartarpurCorridor.
Vo(hug) to rang le aayi, vo to 15-16 crore logon ke liye amrit sidh huyi. Kam se kam vo rafale deal toh nahi thi: Navjot Sidhu, Punjab Minister on BJP criticising him during Madhya Pradesh campaign, for hugging Pakistan Army Chief #KartarpurCorridor pic.twitter.com/UZwHEfaOgi
— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2018
SAD president and former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has, however, said that Sidhu was just taking credit and has denied his role in the Kartarpur Corridor.
“Who is Sidhu? Sidhu doesn't have any role in it,” said Badal. He said that it was SAD who had urged the Centre to write to Pakistan government to build Kartarpur Corridor.
Who is Sidhu? Sidhu doesn't have any role in it: Sukhbir Singh Badal, SAD on Centre to write to the Pakistan govt to build Kartarpur Corridor. pic.twitter.com/CeTJR25fpM
— ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2018
Badal on Wednesday hailed the Modi government for its decision and announced that SAD and SGPC will take a delegation to Kartarpur Sahib in near future.
Asked if Punjab minister and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu's visit to Pakistan and controversial hugging of the country's Army chief catalysed the Government of India's decision on the corridor, he quipped: "I do not know," adding, "May be the recent grenade attack at religious place in Amritsar was because of it."
Sidhu had claimed that the Pakistan government has decided to open the corridor following his Islamabad visit for oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan. 'It will act like a soothing balm for two neighbouring countries' wrote Sidhu in a tweet.
Thank you @ImranKhanPTI Bhai, we welcome the positive step, it means the world to us. You’re a gem! This is a great service to mankind. Kudos to you!
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) November 22, 2018
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮ ਚੜਦੀ ਕਲਾ ਤੇਰੇ ਭਾਣੇ ਸਰਬਤ ਦਾ ਭਲਾ| pic.twitter.com/xehaXTfzTm
