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Some parties speaking in Pakistan’s language: PM Narendra Modi in Punjab
Narendra Modi was addressing a rally in Pathankot district of poll-bound Punjab and alleged that the AAP and Congress are pretending to fight against each other in the elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) a photocopy of the Congress and alleged that the two parties speak the “language of Pakistan” when Indian soldiers show their valour.
The Prime Minister, whose Bharatiya Janata Party is fighting the Punjab election with former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s new political party . Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa’s Akali group, was addressing a rally in Pathankot district of poll-bound Punjab and alleged that the AAP and Congress are pretending to fight against each other in the elections.
Accusing the Congress of belittling and insulting the sacrifices of the soldiers who died during the 2016 Pathankot attack, Modi said: “When Pakistani terrorists attacked this land of Pathankot, the entire country was united but where were Congress party leaders at that time? They questioned the capabilities of our armed forces, they raised doubts, they raised questions on the sacrifices of our martyrs.”
“Even during the anniversary of Pulwama attack, they are again questioning the proof of our soldiers’ capabilities. Now it’s you who has to decide if we can trust the security of a border state like Punjab in such people’s hands,” he added.
The January 2016 Pathankot airbase attackleft seven Indian troops and four gunmen dead, while 40 CRPF personnel were killed after a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into their convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on February 14, 2019. Terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for both the attacks.
Referring to the AAP, Modi said: “Now Congress has also found a partner-in-crime… when the Ram Temple was coming up in Ayodhya, both of them opposed it. When India’s bravehearts show their valour, the leaders of these parties speak the language of Pakistan.”
“If Congress is original, this other party is its photocopy,” Modi said.
Modi also pointed out that the Congress had extended support to the AAP when it fell short of majority in its first Delhi assembly elections.
“Both these parties, despite being ‘ek thali ke chatte batte’ (two sides of the same coin), are now together doing ‘noora kushti’ (pretending to fight) in Punjab. Have you seen WWF? This is what they are doing. They are pretending to be rivals,” he said.
Lashing out at the Congress for failing to ensure Kartarpur Sahib, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, stayed within India’s territory during partition in 1947, or after wins in subsequent war, Modi said: “Even during the 1965 war, Congress did not bother to take back the land. During the 1971 war, if the government sitting in Delhi had returned 90,000 Pakistani soldiers on the condition that it returned the Tapobhumi of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara....”
“When the country was partitioned, the people of Congress were there, did they not understand enough that Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Tapobhoomi should be kept in India at a distance of 6 km from the border. Congress people have committed a crime, crushed our sentiments,” he added.
Assembly election in Punjab is slated to be held in a single-phase on February 20. The counting of votes will be held on March 10.
