Sushma Swaraj has health issues, India committed to Kartarpur corridor: VK Singh

VK Singh, the Minister of State in the External Affairs Ministry said that India is committed to ensure that Kartarpur corridor comes up fast, news agency ANI quotes him as saying on Sunday. “Sushma Ji has reasons which must be delinked from it. She is committed because of elections and health issues. To read too much into it is wrong,” VK Singh said.

Sushma ji has reasons which must be delinked from it.She's committed bcoz of elections&health issues. To read too much into it is wrong.India's committed to ensure #KartarpurCorridor comes up fast&would like Pak to cooperate: MoS MEA,VK Singh on EAM's response to Pak's invitation pic.twitter.com/L2qRXM3qGi

— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2018

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VK Singh was reacting to External Affairs Ministry's response to Pakistan's invitation for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor next week.

On Saturday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that she will not visit Pakistan to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor next week, citing “prior commitments including election campaign.” She, however, said her colleagues Harsimrat Kaur Badal and HS Puri will attend the ceremony. “Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr. H.S.Puri,” she tweeted. Swaraj also released a statement on her unavailability.

The move came just hours after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi invited Swaraj, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to visit the country to attend the ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor.

"On behalf of Pakistan I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Capt Amarinder Singh & Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Kartarpura on Nov 28, 2018," Qureshi tweeted. 

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Earlier, India called off a meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September, citing the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and the release of the postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.