Watch: What is India’s Message to Pakistan Over Kartarpur Corridor

File photo of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur used for representational purposes.

(Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons / Altered by The Quint)

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday, 26 November, used the foundation stone-laying event for Kartarpur Sahib corridor across Indo-Pak border for Sikh pilgirms to warn Pakistan to stop anti-terror activities against India and said "we have a large army and we are prepared".

The foundation stone-laying ceremony was also held, ironically, on the 10th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, that India believes was carried out by Pakistan-backed terror groups.

The Congress and BJP, on the other hand, have been careful to not let this corridor be seen as a peace overture to Pakistan. What is India’s message and how significant is the foundation stone-laying ceremony?

‘Pakistan Trying to Provoke Sikhs’

While pilgrimage between India and Pakistan has been common since independence, one has to keep in mind that there has been a conscious attempt to provoke Sikh pilgrims, points G Parthasarathy, former High Commissioner to Pakistan.

He alleged that India’s neighbour tries to provoke the sikh pilgrims to seek a separate state, which they think they can achieve by bringing together the people belonging to the community, from places like Canada, United Kingdom and Australia.

“The exact modalities of the pilgrimage has not been worke doubt. This is where Guru Nanak spent last 38 years of his life. It is very close to India-Pakistan border. We already have information of provocative signals and signboards. We know our Sikh brothers are not going to be influenced.”

G Parthasarathy, former High Commissioner to Pakistan

‘Must Be Wary of Pakistan’s Goodness’

Sushant Suren, Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, however, said that he was surprised that India and Pakistan have not worked out the modalities of operating the corridor.

Until now, whenever pilgrimages went to Pakistan, it was in a controlled manner. One could monitor what was happening. But once you open a corridor, and I find it rather strange, that we’ve agreed to open a corridor but have still not worked out the modalities.

He added that while at the political level, it seemed like a game of good cop and bad cop.

“In case of Punjab, Amarinder is playing the bad cop and Sidhu is playing the good cop. The same is happening with other parties as well,” Suren said.

However, like Parthasarathy, he too added that Pakistan “sudden goodness” of Pakistan is something that India should be wary of.