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In turban, Shah invokes sacrifices of Gurus, Nanakshahi Calendar to woo Sikhs
Sikhs use the Nanakshahi Calendar as an official calendar to determine the dates of birth and death anniversaries of Gurus, and other religious events. Political observers said Shah’s reference to the calendar carried a deeper message of acknowledging the distinct identity of the Sikh community.
An impassioned outreach to Punjab’s Sikh community was at the centre of Union home minister Amit Shah’s rally in Moga on Friday, with the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader invoking the sacrifices of Sikh Gurus, the Nanakshahi Calendar and the issue of minimum support price (MSP) for crops during his 30-minute address.
Sporting a bright saffron turban, Shah began his speech by extending greetings on the first day of the Nanakshahi year, which falls on March 14 (1 Chet).
The Nanakshahi Calendar is the official calendar used by Sikhs to determine the dates of birth and death anniversaries of Gurus, and other religious events. Political observers said Shah’s reference to the calendar carried a deeper message of acknowledging the distinct identity of the Sikh community.
Named after Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, the Nanakshahi Calendar was formally adopted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in 2003. It was designed by Sikh scholar Pal Singh Purewal. Earlier, Sikh religious dates were calculated using the Bikrami Calendar.
‘If not for Guru Tegh Bahadur, no Hindu would have survived’
Pointing to the turban he was wearing, Shah said it symbolised the nation’s debt to the Sikh Gurus. “Had Guru Tegh Bahadur not stood up against the Mughal oppression, no Hindu would have been spared in India. It was his sacrifice that saved the country,” Shah said.
Shah also referred to Guru Ravidas, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Baba Jeevan Singh, Valmiki and Bhagat Singh during his speech that lasted . Cut-outs of Maharaja Ranjit Singh were also prominently installed at the rally venue.
The home minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s closeness with the Sikh community was due to the blessings of the Gurus. “Be it the celebration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the commemoration of the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur or the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, these initiatives happened because of the blessings of the Gurus on Modi ji,” Shah said.
He hit out at the Congress for questioning what the BJP had done for Sikhs. “What we have done, I have told you. What the Congress did was attack the Akal Takht with tanks,” he said, referring to the events of 1984.
He also accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of failing to fulfil its promise of providing ₹5 lakh compensation to victims of the Delhi anti-Sikh riots. “We not only fulfilled this promise but also ensured punishment for the accused in the Sikh riots,” Shah said.
‘Congress, AAP spreading misinformation’
Shah further alleged that the Congress and AAP were spreading misinformation about MSP and the proposed Indo-US trade deal. “They claim MSP will end after the deal. The fact is that the Congress agreed to end MSP under a World Trade Organization agreement in 2013. Fortunately, Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014 and MSP continued,” Shah said.
Meanwhile, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar urged Shah to take Punjab under his direct guidance “before it was too late”.
BJP working president Ashwani Sharma said the state required “strong leadership like Amit Shah to bring it back on track”. “When I was travelling across Punjab ahead of the rally, senior citizens asked me to convey two messages to the home minister — improve law and order, and end the drug menace,” Sharma said.
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu also addressed the gathering, while BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh accused the Bhagwant Mann government of stopping buses using police to prevent people from reaching the rally venue. The rally, seen as the first test of the BJP’s expanding footprint in Punjab, drew a sizeable crowd.
On the sidelines
Late rush: Nearly half the chairs at the venue, prepared for a gathering of one lakh, were still vacant half an hour before Amit Shah’s arrival, creating anxious moments for organisers. Minutes later, a sudden influx of “supporters”, many sporting turbans, filled the venue.
“My friend” Bittu: Shah referred to Union minister Ravneet Bittu, who joined the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls after serving as a Congress MP for three terms, as his “friend”.
Shah the disciplinarian: The home minister also briefly played teacher when he asked mediapersons not to block the crowd while setting up cameras. When some did not comply, Shah refused to speak until they sat down, saying he was “very stubborn (ziddi)”.
Amarinder absent: Former Punjab chief minister and senior BJP leader Capt Amarinder Singh skipped the rally, citing health reasons.
