Sidhu stirs controversy again, calls Imran Khan `big brother` at Kartarpur Corridor

Sidhu`s visit comes after a fresh tussle erupted in Punjab Congress following the exclusion of his name from Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi-led delegation comprising state cabinet ministers that visited the Kartarpur Sahib a few days back

Gurdaspur (Punjab): On Saturday (November 20), Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu reached the integrated check post of the Kartarpur Corridor at Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur, to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan. His visit comes after a fresh tussle erupted in Punjab Congress following the exclusion of Sidhu's name from Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi-led delegation comprising state cabinet ministers that visited the Kartarpur Sahib a few days back (on Thursday).

But the controversial-cricketer-turned politician seems to have once again ruffled feathers when he called Pakistan PM Imran Khan "big brother."

The relationship between Imran Khan and Sidhu came to the limelight in 2018 when the latter attended the oath-taking ceremony of Pakistan PM. Even this time, Sidhu didn't hesitate from acknowleding the Pak PM's role in the opening of the corridor.

Sidhu said, "With the efforts of PM Narendra Modi and Pakistan PM Imran Khan, this (reopening of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor) has been made possible."

However, Punjab Minister Pargat Singh dismissed the controversy by saying, "When PM Modi goes (to Pakistan) he is a 'Desh Premi, when Sidhu goes, he is 'Desh Drohi'...Can't I call you a brother.. We follow Guru Nanak Dev's philosophy,"

Earlier, Imran Khan government had praised cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu for his role in the opening of the corridor to Sikh pilgrimage site Kartarpur Sahib between the two countries.

The Kartarpur Corridor, which links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district, reopened on Wednesday. In a major decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government decided to re-open the Kartarpur corridor from November 17. It was closed in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.The visa-free 4.7-kilometre long corridor joins the Indian border to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. It became operational in 2019.

Sidhu also said at Gurdaspur, "I request that if you want to change Punjab's life, we should open the borders (for cross-border trade). Why should we go through Mundra Port, a total of 2,100 km? Why not from here, where it's only 21 kms (to Pakistan)?"

(With ANI inputs)