By Chanchal Manohar Singh

Chandigarh: India on Tuesday granted clearance to 575 pilgrims to go as a part of the inaugural jatha to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib through the Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. However, the date on which jatha would cross the border through the newly constructed Kartarpur Corridor is yet to be decided.

Meanwhile, another jatha which includes Punjab ministers, some MLAs and other dignitaries from Punjab, which was to visit Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Guru Nanak Sahib, has been denied permission by the Government of India.

The Pakistan Government has also invited Manmohan singh for the Inaugural function of the Kartarpur Corridor to be held on November 9, at Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan. The Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the kartarpur Corridor. But Manmohan Singh preferred going in inaugural jatha led by Punjab Chief Minister Manmohan Singh

While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kartarpur Corridor on the Indian side at Dera Baba Nanak on November 8, the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will open the Kartarpur Corridor at Kartarpur on November 9.

 The first Jatha includes former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Union Urban development Ministers Hardeep Puri, Union Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, MPs and MLAs. A group of journalists from Chandigarh would also be part of the first jatha.

Pakistan is giving final touches to the completion of the Kartarpur Corridor from the Indian border to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, while India has also constructed the Indian side of the Corridor to join the Kartarpur Corridor at zero line from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur.

The Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who had been opposing the construction of the Kartarpur Corridor, will now lead the jatha to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Narowal. They will pay obeisance at the shrine where Guru Nanak Dev ji had spent the final over 17 years of his life. The jatha would be back in the evening same day.

On October 24, India and Pakistan signed the agreement to open the Kartarpur Corridor to Indian pilgrims to visit the Dera Baba Nanak Gurdwara in Kartarpur. The agreement was signed by officials of the two sides at the “zero line” on the border at Dera Baba Nanak. The Kartarpur corridor will facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims.

Meanwhile, another jatha which includes Punjab ministers, some MLAs and other dignitaries from Punjab, which was to visit Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Sahib, has been denied permission by the Government of India.  The Indian government refusal, has caused much heart-burning among the Punjab ministers and other members of the jatha.