(This story was first published on 9 November 2019 and is being reposted from The Quint's archives to mark the first anniversary of the inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor.)
The importance of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor becoming reality cannot be emphasised enough. For many Sikhs in India, it is an answer to decades of prayers to visit the gurudwara where Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life.
Until now, all they were permitted was a glimpse at the gurudwara through binoculars on the Indian side of the border at Dera Baba Nanak.
Besides the loss of life and property, one of the biggest wounds of Partition for Sikhs was being deprived of some of the holiest shrines associated with Guru Nanak, such as Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib. The Kartapur Sahib Corridor is a rather belated redressal to their grief.
Given the importance of this moment for Sikhs, the politics playing out around the Kartarpur Sahib issue is tragic. However, given the competitive nature of Punjab politics, it is not entirely surprising that various political actors are using the occasion to score political points.