Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanks Imran Khan for respecting the sentiments of India on Kartarpur Sahib

"I thank Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan Niazi for understanding and respecting India's sentiments on Kartarpur and acting in accordance with those sentiments," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while speaking at the historic opening of the Kartarpur Corridor.

"Kartarpur Sahib Corridor will now ease the movement of Sikh pilgrims to the pilgrimage site," he said and added, "it is indeed a great moment for me to dedicate the corridor ahead of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev."

"This corridor will serve thousands of Sikh pilgrims. It will bless the people across India," he said.

The Prime Minister said that in the last five years his government has tried to get back to the teachings of the great teachers of India who have influenced the country with their teachings.

"In line with our principle to promote the teachings of the great teachers of India, the 550th Prakash Parv is being observed since the last year across the Indian embassies and high commissions across the world through kirtans, Prabhat Pheris, readings of Gurbani and seminars. We have also issued a memorial stamp and coin to mark the event," he informed.

"Earlier, we had celebrated the 350th Prakash Parv of Guru Gobind Singh in a similar manner. To mark the birth anniversary of the last Guru of Sikhs, we had issued Rs 350 coin and a stamp," he said adding that a 750-bed hospital was opened on the occasion.

"Gurbani is being translated into different languages. I am thankful to UNESCO which accepted our request and is helping in the translation work," he said.

The Prime Minister said a chair is being set up at a UK university to promote the research on Khalsapanth and a similar effort is being made in Canada.

An inter-faith university is being set up in Amritsar to promote cultural and religious diversity.

He said: "We are making efforts to transform the places associated with Sikh Gurus into heritage sites to reflect the significance of the place and the young generation can easily connect with their teachings.

The work to transform Sultanpur Lodhi into a heritage site has already started and some have been completed."

"A special train has been launched five days in a week connecting places associated with Guru Nanak Dev ji so that people can easily visit these sites."

"The Central government has laid special stress in improving rail and air connectivity between important pilgrimage sites of Sikhs. Air and rail connectivity has been enhanced to connect Shri Akal Takth, Damdama Sahib, Ketgarh Sahib, Patna Sahib and Hujur Sahib. A special flight has been started between Amritsar and Nanded," he stated and added, "Ek Omkar message has been inscribed on the Air India flights connecting London and Amritsar."

"We have taken important decisions to remove visa issues to enable Sikhs willing to come to India...they will now be able to get OCI cards, visit their relatives in India and pilgrimage sites easily," he said.

Stating that the abrogation of Article 370 will directly benefit the Sikh community, Modi said, "Now Sikh families living in Jammu and Kashmir will get the same rights that are available to them in the other parts of India. There were thousands of families living in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir who were deprived of their rights. 

"Similarly, the amendments in the Citizenship Amendment Bill will help them to live freely in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and get the citizenship of India which was earlier not possible."

India signed the agreement with Pakistan on Oct 24, 2019 on the modalities for operationalisation of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor at Zero Point, International Boundary, Dera Baba Nanak.

It may be recalled, the Union Cabinet passed a resolution on Nov 22, 2018 to celebrate the historic occasion of 550th Birth Anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Devji in a grand and befitting manner, throughout the country and across the globe.

The Union Cabinet also approved the building and development of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to the International Boundary, to facilitate pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, round the year, in a smooth and easy manner.