PM Modi in Punjab: 'I Would've Taken Kartarpur Sahib from Pakistan in Return of Their Soldiers In 1971 War'

Prime Minister Modi criticizes Congress and AAP while highlighting achievements for the Sikh community in Patiala rally, emphasizing government's contributions and addressing key issues.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in Patiala, criticized the Congress party and the current AAP government in Punjab while highlighting his government’s achievements for the Sikh community. The rally was part of the campaign for the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections on June 1.

Modi asserted that if he had been in power during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, he would have taken Kartarpur Sahib from Pakistan before freeing the 90,000 Pakistani soldiers who surrendered. He blamed the Congress for the partition of India, which left the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan, just a few kilometers from the Indian border. He emphasized that Sikhs had to view the gurdwara with binoculars for 70 years until the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor in 2019, a move facilitated by his government to ease travel for Sikh pilgrims.

During his address, Modi called Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann a "Kagazi CM" (chief minister only on paper) and accused the AAP government of corruption and failing to curb the drug trade in Punjab. He claimed that the state government is heavily in debt, with trade and industry leaving Punjab while the sand and drug mafias flourish.

Modi also accused the Congress and AAP of enacting a facade by fighting against each other in Punjab while collaborating in Delhi. He urged the people of Punjab to be wary of both parties, describing them as different outfits of the same entity.

Highlighting his government’s contributions to the Sikh community, Modi mentioned the tax exemption on materials used for making 'langar' (community meals) and relaxed foreign donation norms for the Golden Temple. He noted the establishment of 'Veer Baal Diwas' to honor the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh's sons and efforts to bring Sikh families and 'saroops' (scriptures) of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan.

Modi praised the historical contributions of Punjab and the Sikh community to India’s nation-building efforts. He expressed his deep connection to the community, noting his efforts to rebuild a gurdwara in Gujarat that Guru Nanak Dev had visited, which was damaged in an earthquake. He emphasized that his actions were not driven by electoral gains but by respect for Sikh sacrifices.

Addressing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Modi said it was enacted to help persecuted Sikh families in Pakistan and Bangladesh, dismissing allegations that it was a vote-bank tactic. He also pointed out that his government had increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat and paddy and had ensured a record purchase of these crops from Punjab in the last decade.

Security measures were heightened for the rally due to a call from farmer bodies to demonstrate against Modi. Despite the criticism, Modi's address focused on his government's efforts to support the Sikh community and his vision for Punjab's development.