Narendra Modi breaks into the iconic song with singer Lata Mangeshkar at the Mumbai event.
used a moment of nostalgia to score a political point today, when he attacked the ruling Congress for failing to construct a war memorial for martyred soldiers.
"I feel some good things have been left for me to do," the BJP's prime ministerial candidate said after observing that India was the only country without a war memorial to "honour their sacrifice." The BJP is upbeat about its prospects in the general elections due by May after several surveys have predicted a good showing by the party.
The crowd roared slogans like, "
Modi lao desh bachao (bring Modi, save the nation)."
Mr Modi was in Mumbai to felicitate legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on the 51st
anniversary of her song
'Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon' sung as a tribute to India's soldiers who died in the 1961 war with China.
Mr Modi also observed that the first time Ms Mangeshkar sang the song, composed by C Ramchandra and written by Kavi Pradeep, was on January 27, 1963, with the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru present. "Lata
didi has reconnected us to the past. We are fortunate that Nehru first heard it and now we have," Mr Modi said. (
Highlights of Narendra Modi's speech)
The audience at the Mahalaxmi Race Course was predominantly made up of armed forces personnel and Mr Modi's speech was addressed to them and to the massive constituency of soldiers across the country. Apart from promising them the memorial, the BJP leader also referred to the emotive issue of the beheading of an Indian soldier by Pakistani troops last year, cyber attacks by China and the alleged lack of funding for acquisition of weaponry.
The 63-year-old leader said India has the potential to be a military powerhouse. "If India decides, and has the right leadership and policies, within 10 years we will be in a position to export arms," Mr Modi said.
Standing beside Ms Mangeshkar, who is known for her fondness for the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Modi even broke into the song and sang with others present.
In her speech, Ms Mangeshkar, denied that the event had a political colour and said, "I thank the organisers that I got an opportunity to meet Narendra
bhai."
Ms Mangeshkar was also a special guest in November last year at the inauguration of a hospital in Pune in memory of the singer's father.
"Everyone in India wants to see Narendra Modi as prime minister," Ms Mangeskhar had said at the Pune event, generating a political controversy.