The holy land of Satguru Nanak Dev Ji, Sri Kartarpur Sahib, is the heartbeat of the Sikh community. This is the holy place where Guru Sahib spent the last 18 years of his life, giving the message of truth, justice, peace and work to the world. The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, which was opened in 2019 on the occasion of the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It was not only a religious place for the Sikh community, but also a bridge of peace between India and Pakistan. However, it is sad to say that due to the tension between India and Pakistan, this corridor was closed until further orders.
Now, Congress MP from Patiala Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appealing for the reopening of this corridor. This letter is a symbol of the feelings of the Sikh community, a message of world peace and a common voice of Punjabis against political obstacles. Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi has highlighted this emotional issue in his letter. He said that Kartarpur Sahib is not just a religious place for Sikhs, but those fragrant memories of the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, which connect the soul of humanity with spirituality and peace. The closure of this corridor is depriving the Sikh community of that holy place, which is an integral part of its spiritual journey.
Akal Youth and Sikh organizations also raised this demand, which Dr. Gandhi has presented before the Prime Minister.
Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is a symbol of peace not only for Sikhs, but for the entire world. When this corridor was opened in 2019, it was a golden opportunity for goodwill between India and Pakistan. This corridor was that fragrant breeze, which, by demolishing the walls of the borders, connected the people of the two countries. The message of Satguru Nanak Dev Ji, which was a message of universal good, was reaching the world through this corridor. Today, when waves of tension are rising in the world—India-Pakistan, China-America, Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Iran—at this time, the reopening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor can give a message of world peace. This corridor can become a medium to take the message of Satguru across borders, which has the power to save the world from the threat of nuclear wars.
The question is why institutions like the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the Akali Dal and the Akal Takht, which lead the Sikh community, are also silent on this issue?
In the wake of political tensions, the government needs to understand that the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is not just a road, but a path of the soul of the Sikhs. If the government delays in reopening it, it not only hurts Sikh sentiments but also weakens the message of world peace. The Shiromani Committee and the Akali Dal also need to be active on this issue, so that the voice of the Sangat can be further raised. Sikh organizations also need to unite on this issue, so that the cry of the Sangat can be conveyed to the government.
