Bhagwant Mann Renews Demand To Reopen Kartarpur Corridor Ahead of Gurpurab

With Guru Nanak's Gurpurab approaching, the demand to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor has gathered fresh momentum. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has urged the Centre to ensure that Sikh devotees can once again visit one of their holiest shrines in Pakistan.

Putting the focus on faith over politics, Mann said in the assembly today: "The spiritual aspirations of the people must be respected. There should be no room for petty politics when it comes to religious devotion. The Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor should be reopened so that devotees can fulfil their spiritual aspirations without hindrance."

The Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed a resolution urging the Centre to reopen and regularise the corridor, which connects Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan. The passage has remained suspended since May 2025, following Operation Sindoor, with the Union government citing the security situation.

The renewed push comes amid growing appeals from Sikh religious leaders and the community for access to the shrine where Guru Nanak Dev spent the final years of his life

The issue has also drawn attention following a recent confrontation between the Border Security Force and a delegation led by Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj.

In September, the Jathedar and Sikh devotees were stopped by the BSF from proceeding towards the Zero Line at Dera Baba Nanak, where they planned to perform ardas for the reopening of the corridor alongside a religious gathering on the Pakistani side. 

Citing security protocols, the BSF barred the delegation from approaching the border point, triggering arguments. The Jathedar questioned the restrictions and stressed that Sikh devotees should not be denied access to their historic shrines across the border.

The incident added to the growing religious and public pressure for the corridor's restoration, with the Jathedar announcing plans to visit Dera Baba Nanak every month to offer prayers until access is restored.

Moving the resolution in the assembly, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, "Sri Kartarpur Sahib is the cradle of the principles of Kirat Karo, Naam Japo te Vand Chhako. The corridor is not just a passage, it is a bridge that reconnects the Sikh Sangat with the soil where our Guru Sahib walked."

The resolution urged the Centre to engage with Pakistan to ensure safe and uninterrupted movement of pilgrims, simplify registration and travel procedures, and make access easier, particularly for the elderly and infirm devotees.

For the Sikh community, the corridor represents more than a route across an international border. It offers access to a sacred site associated with Guru Nanak and carries the emotional legacy of Partition, which left several important Sikh shrines in Pakistan.