New Delhi: India has decided to send two ministers to Pakistan government’s ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur Sahib corridor project after external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj declined Pakistan foreign minister S.M Qureshi’s invitation due to “prior commitments”.
The construction of the visa-free pilgrim corridor seems to have provided a fresh lease of life to India-Pakistan relations, which were in a comatose state for the last two months.
Earlier this week, Indian cabinet approved the proposal for the corridor project as part of the celebrations of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak even as Pakistan too was ready to announce plans to start construction.
On Saturday evening, Qureshi issued an invitation to his Indian counterpart and to Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Congress lawmaker Navjot Singh Sidhu.
On behalf of Pakistan I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj @SushmaSwaraj ,Capt Amarinder Singh @capt_amarinder & Navjot Singh Sidhu @sherryontopp to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at #Kartarpura on 28 Nov, 2018.#PakistanKartarpuraSpirit
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) November 24, 2018
Within hours, Swaraj replied: “Due to my prior commitments, including election campaign scheduled in the state of Telangana on that day, I would not be able to travel to Kartarpur Sahib.”
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However, Swaraj added that two of her colleagues, minister for food processing industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal and minister of state for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri would represent India at the ceremony planned for November 28 at Kartarpur. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan would conduct the ground-breaking ceremony.
On Sunday, however, Punjab chief minister Singh also expressed his inability to attend the ceremony in his letter to Qureshi. He cited the killing of Indian soldiers at the line of control and “nefarious activities” of ISI in the state, including alleged involvement in a bomb attack last Sunday.
His decline has to be also seen in context of one-upmanship not only between parties, but also within Congress. Sidhu has already expressed his intention to attend.
Swaraj, on her part, has said that India was being “mindful of the sentiments of our Sikh citizens and the importance of facilitating their smooth and easy access to holy Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib” in its decision to send two senior ministers to the event.
Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib. Credit: YouTube
“It is our hope that the government of Pakistan will expedite the construction of the corridor in order to ensure that our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible,” she said, concluding her letter.
Even though Swaraj would not be at Kartarpur, the presence of the Indian ministers there is rather extraordinary considering the strong words exchanged just eight weeks ago.
India had used terms like “evil agenda of Pakistan” and “true face” of Imran Khan to withdraw from a commitment to a meeting between the two foreign ministers on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly in New York in September. Imran Khan responded that India’s cancellation showed the action of “small men occupying big offices” with no vision for a “larger picture”.
In a way, Swaraj’s absence allows India to be part of the Kartarpur ceremony and at the same time keep away from turning it into a bilateral dialogue.
Of course, there is also speculation that India’s decision was dictated by political calculations in Punjab, where the corridor project has emotional resonance.
Also read: Nankana Sahib: After India Lodges Protest with Pak, Consular Access to Pilgrims Barred Again
By sending Harsimrat Badal to Pakistan, the Modi government has allowed their political ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to also get visibility and claim ownership for initiating this project. This was important as it seemed that Congress leader Sidhu was running away with most of the credit for bringing the project to an implementation stage due to his ‘hug diplomacy’ with Pakistani army chief.
In a befitting tribute to the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji & his stress on gender equality, I will accompany my empowered & accomplished colleague Sardarni @HarsimratBadal_ on this momentous visit to represent India & the Sikhs as work commences on Kartarpur Corridor. 3/3 pic.twitter.com/wXSO9KQP3d
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) November 25, 2018
In fact, political dynamics, rather than diplomatic outreach may have been at the back of the mind of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he mentioned the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Kartarpur Sahib corridor in the same breath.
“Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall. Maybe with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, this Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the peoples of the two countries,” he said on Friday. Modi was speaking at a function to mark Guru Nanak Jayanti at the Delhi residence of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.