The Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday, reiterated his position on the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor by Pakistan. He claimed that it is an ISI ploy to strengthen anti-India forces, including the Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
Reacting to the statement made by the SFJ’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannu soliciting Pakistan’s support to ‘liberate’ Punjab from India, the CM stated that it has exposed the evil nexus between the Pakistan army and the SFJ. In a statement, Amarinder said, “The entire affair of Kartarpur Corridor smacks off a wider conspiracy by the Pakistan Army and ISI to dismember India by reviving militancy in Punjab.”
By seeking help of Pak Army @OfficialDGISPR to ‘liberate’ our Punjab, @sikhsforjustice have exposed their nexus with ISI. Their proposed Kartarpur Convention 2019 is an ISI game plan. PM @ImranKhanPTI must stop them if serious about peace with India. @SushmaSwaraj @MEAIndia
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) December 18, 2018
Singh had also added, ” The Pakistani regime, like always, continues to remain a pawn at the hands of the Pakistan Army, taking decisions on their behalf.” However, Amarinder Singh also added that the Indian Armed Forces are capable and prepared to counter any misadventure planned by ISI and SFJ. “Pannu’s remarks have made it amply clear his intentions of going all out to force the secession of Punjab from India, with the backing of Pak Army and ISI,” said the Punjab Chief Minister.
Cautioning Pakistan against fomenting trouble in Punjab, Amarinder Singh stated that Punjab has learned its lessons from the violence-riddled 80s and 90s when Pakistan Army fomented terrorism in the state. He added that it is now more combat-ready to tackle unscrupulous maneuvers of Pak Army. Reminding Pakistan of the nasty defeats it had at the hands of Indian Army on every occasion from 1965 to 1971 to the recent one in Kargil, Singh warned similar fate to befall Pakistan if they continue to intrigue with the SFJ.
Captain Amarinder Singh had always been vocal about Pakistan’s sinister designs behind using the Kartarpur corridor to peddle its anti-India agenda. He had called the corridor-opening a bigger conspiracy of ISI.
Amarinder Singh, in his article in The Tribune, which was published today, stated that the Pak Army’s sinister aim behind approving Kartarpur Corridor is to bank on the sympathies of disgruntled Sikh youth with the objective of gaining support for the referendum. He suggested Pakistan Army get its house in order in NWFP, Balochistan, and Kashmir instead of opening another front in Punjab. Mounting a scathing attack on General Bajwa, Singh contended that Pakistani army chief gets millions of dollars, land, and housing on retirement while the country reels under economic crisis.
Singh also stressed that the Punjab of today is far better equipped to deal with any adverse situation than the Punjab of 1978. He asserted that with Indian paramilitary forces and defense forces to back them, the 81,000 strong, well trained and well-equipped police force of Punjab is ready to face any eventuality and the likes of Pannu are of no consequence.
It is notable here that the Sikhs for Justice, led by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, had organised a gathering of Khalistani separatists at Trafalgar Square in London earlier this year, Calling it the ‘Referendum 2020’. Recently, the SFJ had announced that it plans to hold a ‘Kartarpur Sahib Convention’ in 2019.
Captain Amarinder Singh has steadfastly maintained his stance on Kartarpur Corridor from the beginning. He had declined the invitation for the Kartarpur groundbreaking ceremony citing Pakistan’s ill-intentions behind the initiative and the constant attack on Indian soldiers by Pakistan sponsored terrorists.
