Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in Punjab, criticised the Congress for its role in the country’s partition, accusing the party of dividing India for the sake of power. He stated that had he been in power during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, he would have secured the return of Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib to India before releasing Pakistani soldiers.
Modi addressed the emotional issue of Kartarpur Sahib, the site where Guru Nanak Dev spent his last years, which fell in Pakistan’s Punjab after Partition. The Prime Minister, sporting a Khalsa orange turban, emphasised the historical and spiritual significance of the site to the Sikh community.
“For 70 years, we could have a ‘darshan’ of the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara only with binoculars. I tell the Congress that in Bangladesh war, 90,000 Pakistan soldiers had surrendered. Hukam ka ekka hamare hath mei tha (We had the trump card in our hands). Had Modi been there at that time, he would have taken Kartarpur Sahib from them and then released their soldiers,” Modi declared.
He criticized the Congress for missing the opportunity during the 1971 war when Pakistani soldiers surrendered. “But I did as much as I could do as service to the Gurus,” Modi added, referring to the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in 2019, which eased the pilgrimage for Sikhs to the revered site.
Modi began his speech in Punjabi, expressing his gratitude for starting his campaign from Patiala, a place of great religious importance. “Main bda khushkismat han ke mainu Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji de paavan charan chhoh sthan atey Shri Kali Mata ji de paavan sthan Patiala toh apne Punjab daure di shuruaat karan da mauka mileya hai (I am fortunate that I got an opportunity to kickstart my campaign for Punjab from the pious land of Guru Tegh Bahadur and Kali Mata),” he said.
The Prime Minister’s remarks were part of his campaign rally in support of BJP candidates for the upcoming seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls on June 1.
PM Modi Touts ‘Khoon Ka Rishtaa’ with Punjab, Vows Commitment to Sikh Legacy
PM Modi, emphasised his deep connection with the state, referring to his ‘khoon ka rishtaa’ (blood relation) due to historical ties between Gujarat and the Sikh faith. He pointed out that one of the Panj Piaras of Guru Gobind Singh, the founder of Khalsa, hailed from Dwarka in Gujarat, Modi’s home state.
In his 30-minute speech, Modi highlighted his efforts to honour Sikh heritage, including the restoration of a gurdwara in Lakhpat, Kutch, where Guru Nanak once rested. “It got damaged in an earthquake. I found artisans and got special earth to reconstruct the gurdwara as it was. Modi does not do this for votes. Modi’s head bows for the sacrifice of the Sikh Gurus,” he stated.
Modi also discussed the significance of ‘Veer Baal Diwas’, a day announced to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons. He emphasized the importance of educating children about their sacrifices. The Prime Minister recalled how his government had waived GST on langar at the Golden Temple and facilitated the return of the holy Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan along with stranded Sikhs.
Raising the issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Modi mentioned the pain of Partition endured by Punjab and the persecution of Sikh families in Pakistan and Bangladesh. He asserted that his government’s decision to offer citizenship to these persecuted communities was not for vote bank politics.
Campaigning for Preneet Kaur, BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Patiala and wife of former chief minister Amarinder Singh, Modi sought blessings from the land of Gurus by “bowing my head”. Other BJP candidates, including Parampal Kaur Sidhu from Bathinda, Arvind Khanna from Sangrur, Hans Raj Hans from Faridkot, and Gejja Ram Valmiki from Fatehgarh Sahib, joined Modi on stage during the rally.
PM Modi lambasted the current AAP government over corruption and drug trade issues while emphasising Punjab’s historical role in nation-building. Modi described Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as a ‘kagazi CM’—a chief minister only on paper. He accused Mann of allowing trade and industry to leave the state while the drug trade flourishes. “The entire state government is running on debt. The government’s writ does not run while sand and drug mafia, and shooter gangs’ rule… All ministers are enjoying themselves, and the ‘kagazi CM’ is always busy marking his presence in the ‘Dilli darbar’. Can such people bring development in Punjab?” Modi questioned, criticising the AAP and Congress for their political strategies in Punjab and Delhi.
Modi asserted that the ongoing Lok Sabha election is crucial for strengthening the country. “On one side it is BJP and NDA and on the other side corrupt leaders of I.N.D.I Alliance. They neither have neta nor neeyat. On one side is Modi who wants to make fighter jets in India and on the other hand is I.N.D.I Alliance which says that our nuclear arms should be neutralised. On one side is the courage to kill terrorists in their house and on the other there are people who shed tears on terrorists’ deaths. On one side Modi brought 25 crore people out of poverty, on the other side is INDIA bloc that will snatch half of your land,” he said.
The Prime Minister also addressed the promises made to farmers by the opposition. “They made a promise to farmers but did not fulfill it. It is the BJP which gives priority to the welfare of farmers.” He highlighted the BJP’s achievements over the last decade, including record purchases of wheat and paddy from Punjab and raising the Minimum Support Price (MSP) two-and-a-half times.
Security was intensified in Patiala due to a call for demonstrations by farmer bodies against Modi. Despite the protests, Modi’s rally proceeded without incident, thanks to the police’s extensive security measures. This vigilance was a response to a previous security breach in Ferozepur ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections, where Modi had to turn back without addressing the rally.
Modi’s speech, delivered in a mix of Punjabi and Hindi, sought to resonate deeply with Punjab’s Sikh community. He underscored his commitment to honouring Sikh traditions and protecting their history while positioning the BJP as the party dedicated to national strength and farmers’ welfare.
