Two days before the Punjab elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 18 February, hosted an interaction with the Sant Samaj and members of the Sikh community at his residence in Delhi.
A video of the interaction was posted on Modi’s Twitter handle. “This country was hardly born in 1947. Our gurus went through so much... We suffered so much oppression during the Emergency. I was underground at that time. I used to wear a Sikh disguise to hide. I used to wear a pagdi,” Modi can be heard saying in the video.
Modi repeated his attack on the Congress saying that the party failed to ensure that the Sikh shrine Kartarpur Sahib stayed in India during the Partition of 1947.
He can be heard saying in the video, "They could not reach an agreement to bring Kartarpur, which is six km away (from Punjab). I started talks through the diplomatic channel. When I used to stay in Punjab I used to look at (Kartarpur Sahib) using binoculars. Then I used to think we have to do something.”
"This was such a holy task that with the blessings of Gurus, we did it. What we have done in such a short time, this would not have been possible without devotion," he added.
Modi also reminded the gathering about bringing back the Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan.
He said in the video, "The Guru Granth Sahib should be brought back with pride from Afghanistan. We made arrangements and provided a special plane. I asked our ministers to bring it back with respect. It is invaluable in our lives. As someone from Gujarat, I want to say that I have ties of blood with you as one of the Punj Pyaras of Guru Gobind Singh was from Gujarat."
Modi also told the gathering, "This is your home. Like you, I walked into this place, I will similarly walk to a gurudwara."
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting the Punjab election in an alliance with former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress and the Akali Dal faction headed by Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.
Those present at Friday’s meeting included Delhi Gurudwara Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka, Baba Balbir Singh Sichewal, Mahant Karamjit Singh, Baba Joga Singh of Dera Baba Jang Singh, and Sant Baba Mejor Singh Waa, NDTV reported.
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