Modi dedicates to nation Kartarpur Sahib Corridor

JASWANT SINGH GANDAM / RAMAN NEHRA
India Post News Service

PHAGWARA: Donning a saffron turban and quoting frequently from Gurbani, Prime minister Narendra Modi November 9 told a responsive congregation at village Shikaar Macchian near Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district that the philosophy of Guru Nanak, on one hand, gave us a social ethos and on the other hand an economic concept.

Addressing a ‘Shukrana Ardaas’(thanksgiving prayer) function organised by Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC)  before the inauguration of Kartarpur Sahib corridor, Modi said that Guru Nanak’s social philosophy showed us the path of unity, brotherhood and harmony while  his  economic paradigm was based on the  primacy  of truth, honesty and self-respect.

“Guru Nanak is both a Guru and a ‘Vichar’(idea) which is the basis of life. He is ‘dharohar’ not only of Sikh Panth or India but a motivating force of the whole mankind,” Modi said.

“When the Guru embarked upon his religious travels from Sultanpur Lodhi, who knew that he was set to be on an epoch-making journey that will transform the age? His religious travels are the best examples of dialogue, connectivity, discussion, harmony and social change. Actually, the Guru marched on for taking humanity out of ‘amavas’(the darkest night of the month) of ‘aniya, adharam, atiyachar’ (injustice, non-religious, atrocities).In the dark days of slavery,, he dedicated his life to awakening and saving India’s consciousness.”

Claiming, amid chanting of ‘Bole So Nihal’ slogans from the congregation, that by dedicating Kartarpur Corridor to the public he was having the same feeling as Sikhs had had during ‘Kar Seva’(religious service), Modi said that he was fortunate to inaugurate the corridor and dedicate it to the nation.

Congratulating Sikhs all over the world for 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev and inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor, he said Kartarpur was not only Guru’s ‘Karam Bhoomi’ but there was an aroma of Guru’s sweat in every particle of that land and his ‘bani’ was blended in its air.

 Loud chanting of ‘Waheguru Ji ka Khalas…” was heard again from the huge congregation when Modi humbly said that he put at Guru Nanak’s feet the award of Kaumi Seva Puraskar bestowed on him by SGPC. Quoting Guru’s hymn ’Pawan Guru Pani Pita Mata Dharat Mahat’ (air is guru, water is father and earth is as important as a mother), Modi regretted that this principle was not being properly followed these days.

Referring to the cardinal principles of Sikhism i.e., ‘Kirat Karo, Naam Japo, Wand Chhako’(work, meditate and share), Modi said that Guru Nanak practised these principles himself at Kartarpur Sahib.

“By ploughing, the Guru practised the precept of Kirat Karo, by sharing his produce with others he ushered in the creed of sharing and by reciting hymns and meditating, he showed the way of ‘Naam Japna’,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that Guru gave us the message of social equality and non-discrimination by making Bhai Mardana and Bhai Lalo his close companions. “The Guru was so far-sighted that he expressed his concern about water situation at a time when all the five rivers of Punjab were brimming over with water,” he said. PM said that Guru’s ‘bani’ guided us on issues of nature, environment, and pollution (‘prakirti, paryawaran, pardushan’).

Congratulating the Punjab government, SGPC and all workers for completing the corridor work in time, Modi also thanked his Pakistani counterpart. ”I thank Prime minister Imran Khan Niazi for understanding, respecting and acting on India’s sentiments regarding the Kartarpur Corridor,” he said. He also thanked workers in Pakistan for speedily building the section of the corridor across the border.

Modi inaugurated the Indian section of the Kartarpur corridor and flagged off the first jatha (batch) of pilgrims headed by acting Jathedar of Akal Takhat Sahib Giani Harpreet Singh.

It included prominent persons including former Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, several of his cabinet colleagues and MLAs, former Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, Union ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Som Parkash, Hardeep Singh Puri, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, SGPC chief Bhai Gobind Singh Longowal, MP-cum-film star Sunny Deol, and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu.

In his address, Modi said that Guru Nanak was an inspiration for humanity and his teachings continued to be relevant as he blazed a path of fellow feeling.

“There is a need to assimilate the Guru’s teachings into our lives,” he said, intoning a sacred hymn. He asked people to be aware of inimical forces, shun drugs and wed development with the environment.

Asking for imbuing Guru’s message of the welfare of all (‘Sarbat da Bhala’), Modi said Guru’s teachings were aimed at ushering in ‘Vishwa Shanti’ (global peace). Listing a slew of steps taken by his government to commemorate the 550th Parkash Utsav of Guru Nanak Dev, Modi cited the development of Sultanpur Lodhi as a heritage city, removal of some NRI Sikhs from the blacklist and better rail connectivity between the five Takhts.

He also mentioned the programs being undertaken by India’s missions abroad in connection with the Guru’s birth anniversary.

He claimed that the abolition of Article 370 will also benefit Sikhs living in Jammu and Kashmir because they will now get the same rights as those in the rest of India.

Addressing the function, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, while hailing the Kartarpur Corridor inauguration, sounded a note of caution about Pakistan’s sinister design for creating disturbance in Punjab and warning that those with evil designs will be pinned down and taught a lesson.

Parkash Singh Badal, and Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh also spoke on the occasion. The Kaumi Seva Puraskar awarded to Modi by the SGPC carried a citation, a memento and a sword. After paying obeisance before Holy Guru Granth Sahib, Modi sat with the ‘sangat’.

Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore and other dignitaries, including the Chief Minister, sat along with him. After inaugurating the Integrated Check Post and Kartarpur Corridor, Modi handed over the Sikh religious flag to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh.

He also presented a ‘rumala’ (ceremonial covering for Guru Granth Sahib) to Amarinder Singh for offering it at Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. Earlier, Modi began his visit to Punjab by paying obeisance at Gurdwara Ber Sahib in Sultanpur Lodhi.

He bowed before the Guru Granth Sahinb five times, touching his forehead on the ground as is the Sikh ritual of ‘matha tekna’.

He was honored by Bibi Jagir Kaur, Chairperson of Shatabdi committee. Shortly after he left for Dera Baba Nanak. He also partook langar with sangat in the tent city put up by state government at Dera Baba Nanak.