Kartarpur bridges great divide

The inaugural of work on the 4-km Kartarpur corridor connecting two historical holy places of the Sikhs — Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district and Gurdwara Kartarpur Saheb in Pakistan — can be seen as a breakthrough in times of very frosty ties between India and Pakistan. Imran Khan may have bowled 'a googly' to leverage his politics much as Navjot Sidhu did in seeking to pad up his position as a leader of the Sikhs.  

If this bridge between nations leads to some thaw, the exercise would have been worth it even if it is complicated by the presence of a Khalistani who reminds us that Pakistan's larger aim of dismembering India may still be intact. Imran showed intent to emerge as a messenger of peace in the manner in which he spoke. However, his strategic role is severely limited as his nation's army actively encourages cross-border terror against India towards a larger ambition of gaining the Kashmir Valley.

The K-word and now Khalistan may remain major irritants along with state sponsorship of terror. Even so, the Kartarpur Corridor enabling Sikhs to worship at holy sites Guru Nanak blessed is to be seen as a silver lining. Given the sharp political polarisation in the country, particularly at a time when general elections are approaching, Tweeple were divided in their opinions. This reflects how complicated and fraught the ties between the subcontinental neighbours are.

Navjot Singh Sidhu @sherryontopp  
As a pilgrim embarks upon the journey, she/he becomes a better human, a better friend and a better neighbour. For 71 years, Crores have prayed to make this pilgrimage to the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib. Today, at Kartarpur Sahib to thank Baba Nanak for his blessings upon us all!

Rajdeep Sardesai @sardesairajdeep  
I have requested @ImranKhanPTI to release Mumbai born Hamid Ansari who strayed into Pakistan when his term ends next month. Have been assured the case will be looked into. We must not let innocents be caught in Indo Pak tug of war. only then will Kartarpur spirit have meaning..

Sunanda Vashisht @sunandavashisht  
That entire debate about Kartarpur should be about Siddhu who is an established joker and not about national security is what is wrong with our news media today.

Pushpa Sri@p_srinivasan
Congress claim that Sidhu's visit to Pakistan was 'personal' falls flat! @sherryontopp admits on camera that @ahmedpatel & @RahulGandhi sent a special plane for his Pakistan visit. Making a tamasha of India on enemy soil & you dare to question us when we call you ANTINATIONAL?!

 Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga@TajinderBagga
@capt_amarinder sahab we demand imidiate action against Sidhu, Remove him from ur Cabinet

Major Gaurav Arya@majorgauravarya
Navjot Sidhu wants to be Chief Minister of Punjab. He is using the Kartarpur Corridor issue as an emotional launching pad...he wants to be seen as the man who enabled Sikhs to visit Kartarpur. That's all that there is....a comedian's ambition to be CM.

Ninjamonkey @Aryanwarlord
Absolutely agree with @Vikram_Sood here , with net negative forex reserves & the PKR plummeting vis a vis the $ the entire #Kartarpur Corridor Opening exercise was likely a massive PR stunt by the  @ImranKhanPTI administration to make #Pakistan look positive.

Minhaz Merchant @Minhaz Merchant
Indian govt upset Pak PM @ImranKhanPTI misused "a pious" occasion like groundbreaking ceremony of #KartarpuraCorridor to politicise #Kashmir. What did it expect? Khan is Pak terrorist army's chosen puppet. No wonder this govt's Pak policy is so clueless. It just doesn't get Pak

sushant sareen @sushantsareen
Are you regretting that Qureshi exposed the sinister designs of the Islamic State, or did you actually fall for the nonsense that the pakis were doing Kartarpur out of the goodness of heart?

Sidrah Memon@SidrahMemon1
#Shame On Imran Khan for speaking of friendship with Modi on a day when 7 Kashmiri Muslims have been martyred by India. Plz show support for Kashmiris and condemn Imran Khan for selling the blood of Kashmiris for the sake of his personal friendships

PradiptaGaurangaDas@pikudollie
So we now know from PakFM @SMQureshiPTI that #KartarpurCorridorOpening event was just a 'GOOGLY ' by PakPM @ImranKhanPTI  

Shd @narendramodi @SushmaSwaraj govt hv thought twice before sending 2ministers across the border?

Malik Dilawer@ MalikDilawer3)
Welcome to the new world of friendship and peace. Congratulations to Sikh community in Pakistan, India & around the world.

vinit goyal @_goyalvin  @KlasraRauf
Shun terror & then expect from India- till that time 'relations & blood cannot flow together'. The #Kartarpura Corridor is another tact for #Khalistan2020! Shameful!! But then religion & faith of people cannot challenged we're a secular country!

Siddharth @sid11701 
#SidhuFailsIndia and @RahulGandhi had also failed India by meeting the Chinese ambassador during the Doklam standoff. This proves that the @INCIndia will conspire with our enemies to remove Modi!!!!