Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday appealed to all the political parties to play a constructive role in maintaining peace and harmony in the state, thereby foiling the nefarious designs of Pakistan’s ISI supported terrorism. Reiterating his Government’s commitment to protecting Punjab from ISI-backed terror, the Chief Minister said that no one would be allowed to push the state back into the black days of terrorism.He was taking part in the deliberations on a resolution on the opening of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. The resolution was unanimously passed by voice vote.Captain Amarinder Singh said that the House records its appreciation for the efforts made by the Punjab Government and the Government of India to open the corridor and urged the GoI to ensure completion of all necessary works for its operationalisation well before the 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji in November 2019, in keeping with the long pending demand of Punjabis, while ensuring that peace of Punjab is not disturbed in any manner.Captain Amarinder described the corridor as a ‘Bridge of Peace’ between the people of India and Pakistan.The Chief Minister further said that it was really a momentous occasion for all, especially the Sikh community, which had been longing for the opening of the corridor in their daily prayers (Ardas) since partition.The Chief Minister said that he was subjected to a lot of criticism from different quarters, including SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal and president Sukhbir Singh Badal, for his unequivocal stand on Pakistan Army’s persistent efforts to revive militancy in Punjab.
Without mincing words, Captain Amarinder said, “Do you really think that Pakistan Army is our sympathiser, when it is continuously killing our soldiers at the border with the ultimate aim of destabilising the border state.”The Chief Minister called upon all the political parties to be wary of Pakistan Army’s ulterior motive to revive terrorism in Punjab through ISI backed stooges, which was evident from the fact that several terrorist modules had been neutralised and from the arrest of numerous operatives, besides seizure of large hauls of ammunition and narcotics.Captain Amarinder Singh said that his grandfather Maharaja Bhupinder Singh undertook kar sewa of Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara from 1920-1929 after it was badly ravaged by the floods in river Ravi.Likewise, his Grandfather also performed sewa of the historic Gurdwara Panja Sahib and Gurdwara Janam Asthan Sri Nankana Singh as a part of his family’s rich legacy, devotion and reverence towards Guru Ghar. Carrying this tradition forward, the Chief Minister said he too was fortunate to be undertaking this pious project during his lifetime.He also reiterated his announcement, which he made during foundation stone laying ceremony at Dera Baba Nanak, that he would be part of the first Jatha to offer prayers at Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, where Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji spent nearly 18 years of his life.During the discussions, Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, SAD MLAs Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia, Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra, Congress MLAs Raj Kumar Verka, Harminder Singh Gill, AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu, Kultar Singh Sandhwan and BJP MLA Som Parkash also supported the resolution.