‘Neither me nor Manmohan Singh is going’: Amarinder on Kartarpur invite

New Delhi, Oct 03: After Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday regarding invite to visit Kartarpur Sahib, Amarinder said that he will not attend the historic event of the opening of Kartarpur corridor, reported ANI. He also said that Manmohan Singh had bymistake accepted the invitation.

The reports had earlier stated that the former PM will also be attending the Sultanpur Lodhi main event.

Raveen Thukral, media advisor to the Punjab CM had tweeted that Manmohan Singh had accepted Amarinder Singh's invite.

"Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh accepts Captain Amarinder Singh's invite to join 1st Jatha to Sri Kartarpur Gurdwara on Nov 9, will also attend Sultanpur Lodhi main event," Thukral said in a tweet.

During his meeting with the prime minister, Singh also urged for his personal intervention to facilitate the political clearance for allowing the special all-party "jatha" to visit Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, the birthplace of the first Sikh guru, on the historic occasion.

Pakistan had earlier invited Dr Manmohan Singh to attend the inaugural ceremony of the landmark Kartarpur Corridor in November. However, the invitation was turned down by the veteran Congress leader.

"We would like to extend an invitation to former Indian PM Manmohan Singh for the inauguration function of Kartarpur Corridor. He also represents the Sikh community. We will also send him a formal invitation," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Monday.

Kartarpur Corridor is slated to be inaugurated on the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak in November. The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims.