'Would have taken Kartarpur Sahib back in 1971', says PM Modi in Punjab

'Had Modi been there at that time, he would have taken Kartarpur Sahib from them and then released their soldiers,' said the Prime Minister in Punjab

At his first election rally in Punjab, Prime Minister Narendra Modi evoked the memory of the 1971 war with Pakistan, when over 90,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. He said that had he had been the prime minister then, he would have taken Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib from Pakistan in return for the release of the Pak troops.

During the tumultuous partition era, Kartarpur Sahib, the place where Guru Nanak Dev spent his final years, fell within the boundaries of Pakistan’s Punjab, a mere stone’s throw away from the Indian border. PM Modi, underscoring this poignant backdrop, attributed the country’s partition to the Congress, alleging that it was motivated by power politics.

“For 70 years, we could have a ‘darshan’ of the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara only with binoculars. I tell the Congress that in the Bangladesh war, 90,000 Pakistani 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,” he said.

Modi honours Sikh gurus

Criticising the Congress for its lack of initiative in this regard, PM Modi reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to honouring the legacy of the Gurus. “But I did as much as I could do as a service to the Gurus,” referring to the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in 2019, which made it easier for Sikh pilgrims to travel to the shrine.

Addressing the rally in Patiala in support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates, PM Modi, adorned in a Khalsa orange turban, commenced his speech in Punjabi, resonating with the local sentiments.

“Main bada khush kismat 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.

Modi’s Punjab connection

Throughout his impassioned address, PM Modi also highlighted his deep-rooted connection with Punjab, tracing it back to one of the Panj Piaras of Guru Gobind Singh, hailing from Dwarka in Gujarat, his home state.

“If you go to Lakhpat in Kutch, there’s a gurdwara where Guru Nanak rested. It got damaged in an earthquake. I found artisans and special earth and reconstructed the gurdwara as it was. Modi does not do this for votes. Modi’s head bows for the sacrifice of the Sikh Gurus,” he said.

He further outlined initiatives such as the commemoration of 'Veer Baal Diwas' to honour the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons and lauded efforts to waive off Goods and Services Tax (GST) on langar at the Golden Temple.

“I decided that the Sahibzadas’ sacrifice should be known all over. But some people do not understand this…I wanted every child to know the sacrifices of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh,” he said.

Modi on Citizenship Act

Touching upon the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, PM Modi acknowledged Punjab’s anguish during partition and affirmed his government's commitment to granting citizenship to persecuted Sikh families from countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Campaigning for Preneet Kaur, BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Patiala and the wife of former chief minister Amarinder Singh, PM Modi humbly sought blessings “in the land of Gurus, by bowing my head.”

The Prime Minister, in his address, underscored Punjab and the Sikh community's pivotal role in nation-building, while lambasting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over corruption and the increasing drug trade.

“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 and the ‘kagazi CM’ is always busy marking his presence in the ‘Dilli darbar’. Can such people bring development in Punjab?” he asked.

Modi versus Opposition

With the ongoing Lok Sabha election poised to fortify the nation, PM Modi drew a sharp dichotomy between the BJP-NDA alliance, dedicated to national progress, and the purportedly corrupt leaders of the Opposition. 

“On one side, it is BJP and NDA, and on the other side, corrupt leaders of the INDIA bloc. They neither have a leader nor a plan. On one side is Modi, who wants to make fighter jets in India, and on the other hand is the INDIA bloc, which says that our nuclear arms should be neutralised. On one side is the courage to kill terrorists in their houses, 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 the INDIA bloc that will snatch half of your land,” said PM Modi.

Further slamming the INDIA bloc, PM Modi accused them of lying. “They made a promise to farmers but did not fulfil it. It is the BJP which gives priority to the welfare of farmers.” In the last ten years, there was a record purchase of wheat and paddy from Punjab, he said. 

“We raised the Minimum Support Price [MSP] two-and-a-half times in the last ten years,” he added.