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Punjab elections: Congress put humanity to shame in ’84, Modi ensured justice: Nadda
BJP president was addressing maiden rally at Balachaur in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district in favour of BJP candidates Ashok Bath from Balachaur, Poonam Manik from Nawanshahr and Mohan Lal Banga from Banga constituency
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Jagat Prakash Nadda said in Jalandhar on Saturday that the Congress and its leaders had put humanity to shame during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and their hands were drenched in blood, whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ensured justice to the victims after 30 long years and sent the accused Congress leader to Tihar Jail.
Also read: Uttarakhand polls: Congress doesn’t consider India as one nation, says PM Modi
Nadda was addressing his maiden rally at Balachaur in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district in favour of BJP candidates Ashok Bath from Balachaur, Poonam Manik from Nawanshahr and Mohan Lal Banga from Banga constituency when he recounted steps taken by the Modi government for Sikhs and Punjab.
“When the anti-Sikh riots took place in Delhi and across the country in 1984 after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi, the Congress and its leader had said that when a big tree falls, the earth shakes (referring to former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s statement, Jab bada ped girta hai toh dharti hilti hai). Now they are coming in front of you for your vote. You should also shake them up,” Nadda said.
“The 1984 riot victims were shuttling between Delhi and Punjab for justice for 30 long years. Commission after commission was formed, inquiry after inquiry conducted but no one took care of our Sikh sisters, who lost their children and husband in the violence,” he said.
But after Modi was sworn in as PM in 2014, a special investigation team was formed to ensure justice and certain Congress leaders were sent to Tihar Jail.
Recalls steps taken for Sikh community
Nadda said that the Modi government had granted Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) permission for the Golden Temple so that Sikhs or Hindus living across the world could donate to the holiest Sikh shrine. Similarly, the government waived GST on langars of gurdwaras.
He said after Independence, Sikh brothers had demanded building the Kartarpur Corridor so that they could pay obeisance at Gurdwara Durbar Sahib in Pakistan. Modi opened the Kartarpur Corridor by talking with the Pakistan government and spent ₹120 crore on its construction.
“We have been making efforts to spread the teachings through Gurbani the world over. The Guru Nanak Dev chair was set up at the National Institute for Inter-Faith Studies. The Modi government also celebrated the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh with full honours across the country and the government also announced observing Veer Bal Diwas to pay tributes to the sacrifice of the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh,” he said.
Takes on AAP for misgovernance in Delhi
He said that the BJP will make Punjab a drug-free state as rulers of the state “have become partners in the business”.
Nadda said that Punjab faced the brunt of militancy due to the Congress government and the state could not prosper if ruled by it.
He attacked the Aam Aadmi Party for allegedly demanding money for ticket distribution besides the misgovernance in Delhi.
