PM Narendra Modi: Kartarpur in Pakistan today because of then Congress leaders' lack of vision

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally at Hanumangarh in poll-bound Rajasthan on Tuesday and said that Kartarpur went to Pakistan due to the lack of vision and sensitivity of then Congress leaders. Lashing out at the Congress, PM Modi said that the “holy work of Kartarpur corridor came” to him and that the Congress will have to answer why “this was not done in last 70 years.” He also told the people that the credit of the Kartarpur corridor goes to their vote and that “correcting Congress’ mistakes was my destiny.” Narendra Modi also accused the then Congress leaders of not having any idea about the importance of Guru Nanak Dev and therefore Kartarpur went to Pakistan.

The state goes to polls on December 7 and the counting of votes will take place on December 11.

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The foundation stone for construction of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib Corridor up to the international border with Pakistan in Mann village in Gurdaspur was laid in India by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on November 26 and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone for the same in Pakistan on November 28. Upon the completion of Kartarpur corridor between India and Pakistan, Sikh pilgrims would be allowed to cross the border without any visa to visit the holy shrine and return the same day.

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To mark Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary in 2019, the Indian government decided on November 22, 2018, to build the Kartarpur road corridor up to the international border between India and Pakistan as an integrated development project. Guru Nanak had assembled the Sikh community at Kartarpur and lived there for 18 years till he breathed his last in 1539.