New Delhi, Sep 18: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has written a letter to her cabinet colleague Harsimrat Kaur Badal in which she contradicted Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's claim on Kartarpur Sahib corridor. Swaraj clarified that Pakistan had not sent any proposal to India on Kartarpur Sahib corridor.

"The government had been taking up matter with Pakistan. However, Pakistan government has so far neither agreed to include visits to Kartarpur Sahib by Indian pilgrims nor sent official communication for establishing corridor," Swaraj said in her letter to Harsimrat Kaur. Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh on Monday also said nothing has come about yet. Sushma Swaraj Reprimands Navjot Singh Sidhu For Messing Up Kartarpur Corridor Dialogue With Pakistan.

In response to Swaraj's letter, Sidhu said a formal request should be sent to Pakistan from the Ministry of External Affairs. "We had a detailed discussion during the meeting, explained to her (Swaraj) about the necessity of opening of the Kartarpur corridor. A formal request should go from India's side. EAM said to me, 'the draft is being prepared & I will write a letter'," the Congress leader said.

Sidhu, who was present at the swearing-in of his 'friend' Imran Khan as the Pakistan Prime Minister on August 18 in Islamabad, has been claiming that he has been virtually instrumental in getting the Kartarpur corridor opened to devotees. He also sought Sushma Swaraj's intervention in this matter in a letter earlier this month.

"Pakistan has shown a positive intent towards the long-pending corridor demand. Some positivity came out when I visited Pakistan for the oath-taking ceremony of Imran Khan," Sidhu said in his letter. On Monday, Harsimrat Kaur Badal tweeted that Swaraj reprimanded Sidhu Sidhu for messing up Kartarpur corridor. Pakistan Still Under Military Rule, No Proposal Received on Kartarpur Gurdwara: VK Singh.

“External Affairs Minister reprimands Navjot Sidhu for messing up Kartarpur Sahib corridor dialogue and misusing political clearance granted for private visit by hugging military Chief responsible for killing our soldiers,” she tweeted.

The Kartarpur route along the India-Pakistan border is barely three kilometres away from Gurdaspur, Punjab. If opened, it will allow Sikh pilgrims direct access to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan where Guru Nanak died in 1539.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2018 11:02 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).