Kartarpur Sahib Corridor: Historical blunder of Radcliffe line between India and Pakistan partly erased

When India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan separated by
y a distance of about 4 km and time gap of about three hours inaugurated the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on the two sides, they had taken a historic step to undone what happened in this region in 1947-the partition of India that witnessed the creation of Pakistan.

The partition was more that of Punjab, the land of the birth of the Sikhs. The corridor that provides high security but visa free one-way access to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartapur Sahib from Dera Baba Nanak in India reconnects the Sikhs in Indian Punjab to the other part of their home land.

Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh Faith, was born at Nankana Sahib that is in Pakistan and spent his last more than 17 years at Kartarpur Sahib where he practiced what he preached-the way of life based upon equality, love and human dignity. He created the model of an egalitarian society in which the status was not defined by caste or creed or wealth. It was a commune.

The demand to open the border was not unexpected in the emotional atmosphere at Kartarpur Sahib.

The issue was raised by Imran Khan’s  cricketer friend Navjot Singh Sidhu in a charged speech that he delivered from his heart. He was the hero at Kartarpur. Of course, he also gave credit to Modi for the operationalisation of this visa free access that has been the long cherished ambition of the Sikhs.

But then Imran Khan and his associates linked the opening of border to resolution of Kashmir dispute.

Imran Khan said, “It is no more an issue of territory. It is an issue of human rights of 90 lakh Kashmiris”.

It is pertinent to go by about 20 years back when the people to people interaction picked up. At one stage, Punjabis from the two Punjab, especially in Lahore, would talk of uprooting the barbed wire that divides the two lands, such were the emotions. This atmosphere was sabotaged with a terrorist attack in 2008.

Opening up the Attari-Wagha border would directly impact the Mumbai and Karachi ports through which major exports and imports are handled and it is a big business.

The translation of the Sikh ambition into Kartarpur Sahib corridor is the beginning of a new chapter in the embittered relations between the two neghbours whose relationship has mostly been characterised by tension.

The problem, however, is that this historical step between the two countries too has been overshadowed by mistrust. Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has taken the line that it is a Pakistan military design. But then the Sikh pilgrims from all over the world already had limited visa access to specific shrines in Pakistan.

Also present were former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Capt Amarinder Singh but their names were just mentioned from the stage.

The man under focus was Navjot Singh Sidhu. He was in the company of Imran Khan. Imran Khan repeatedly clapped when Sidhu spoke.

But then it was Akal Takht Jathedar who provided content to the occasion. He talked of Sikh-Muslim ideological similarities and historical relationship of the Sikhs with Kashmiris in history. The Sikhs at one time defended human rights of Kashmiri Pandits and now they were with Kashmiri Muslims, he added.

The broader message that emanated from Kartarpur Sahib was that of peace, love and universal brotherhood as articulated and practiced by Baba Nanak at this place.

It is time to hope for the best.