Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who returned from Pakistan Thursday, was tight-lipped about what he would do with the holy soil he brought from Kartarpur Sahib. “I don’t want to share it with anyone at this moment. I have brought holy soil from Kartarpur Sahib. But don’t ask me at this moment. I have something in mind and will make it public at an appropriate time,” Sidhu told The Indian Express.
Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who returned from Pakistan Thursday, was tight-lipped about what he would do with the holy soil he brought from Kartarpur Sahib. “I don’t want to share it with anyone at this moment. I have brought holy soil from Kartarpur Sahib. But don’t ask me at this moment. I have something in mind and will make it public at an appropriate time,” Sidhu told The Indian Express.
Sidhu advocated the opening of borders between both Punjabs. “Mumbai and Karachi are separated by 1200 km but trade doesn’t stop for a minute between the two cities. Karachi and Mumbai trade with each other. Big traders deal there. On the other side, if you through a stone from Amritsar it will reach Lahore. Such is the proximity of both cites. But our trade is all closed. Why shouldn’t it be opened?” said Sidhu.
He added, “Lahore and Amritsar should trade with each other. Ferozpur and Kasoor should trade with each other. It will bring prosperity on both sides. Kartarpur is a corridor to infinite possibilities. It will make hearts of both Punjabs meet.”
After facing flak over hugging the Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa during his previous visit to Pakistan, Sidhu is now under fire for being seen in a photograph with Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (PSGPC) general secretary Gopal Singh Chawla, who is believed to be associated with pro-Khalistan groups.
Sidhu, however, said, “Thousands got clicked with me in the past two days in Pakistan. I didn’t say no to anyone. How should I know who is clicking pictures with me? I don’t think there is any need to even react on this issue.” SAD wasted no time in targeting Sidhu over the photo with Chawla. However, soon a picture of Chawla with Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee president Gobind Singh Longowal during the Kartarpur Sahib corridor groundbreaking ceremony went viral on the social media.
Reacting to this, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “It means the Pakistan Prime Minister [Imran Khan] invited such kind of people and gave them VVIP treatment at the ceremony.”
Sidhu advocated the opening of borders between both Punjabs. “Mumbai and Karachi are separated by 1200 km but trade doesn’t stop for a minute between the two cities. Karachi and Mumbai trade with each other. Big traders deal there. On the other side, if you through a stone from Amritsar it will reach Lahore. Such is the proximity of both cites. But our trade is all closed. Why shouldn’t it be opened?” said Sidhu.
He added, “Lahore and Amritsar should trade with each other. Ferozpur and Kasoor should trade with each other. It will bring prosperity on both sides. Kartarpur is a corridor to infinite possibilities. It will make hearts of both Punjabs meet.”
After facing flak over hugging the Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa during his previous visit to Pakistan, Sidhu is now under fire for being seen in a photograph with Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (PSGPC) general secretary Gopal Singh Chawla, who is believed to be associated with pro-Khalistan groups.
Sidhu, however, said, “Thousands got clicked with me in the past two days in Pakistan. I didn’t say no to anyone. How should I know who is clicking pictures with me? I don’t think there is any need to even react on this issue.” SAD wasted no time in targeting Sidhu over the photo with Chawla. However, soon a picture of Chawla with Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee president Gobind Singh Longowal during the Kartarpur Sahib corridor groundbreaking ceremony went viral on the social media.
Reacting to this, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “It means the Pakistan Prime Minister [Imran Khan] invited such kind of people and gave them VVIP treatment at the ceremony.”