Punjab Election: Punjab votes in a single phase on February 20. Votes will be counted on March 10.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused the Congress of belittling and insulting the sacrifices of the soldiers who died during the 2016 Pathankot attack. He said that the country was together in the response to the attack except for the Congress party. "They questioned the government, the people of Punjab and even our army. They belittled the sacrifices of the soldiers," he said.
The PM said that even during the anniversary of the 2019 terror attack in Pulwama, the Congress was doing the same. "Even on Pulwama anniversary, they continue their 'paap leela'," he said.
On February 14, 2019, Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group had attacked a convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, killing 40 personnel of the force.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been under fire from the BJP for raising questions on the "surgical strike" by Indian forces that were conducted in response to the Pulwama attack. Days after the attack, Indian warplanes had struck the biggest terrorist training camp of JeM deep inside Pakistan's Balakot in retaliation to the attack.
In a blistering attack on opposition parties, PM Modi also accused the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party of being "partners in crime". He called AAP a "photocopy" of the Congress and said both of them are not happy with the Ayodhya temple or whenever the army does something. "Don't tolerate these people," he said to a cheering audience at an election rally in Punjab's Pathankot and added that "one party looted Punjab, and the other is doing corruption in Delhi".
AAP took support from the Congress to form the government in Delhi as well, PM Modi pointed out. "Punjab has decided, iss baar pakka parivartan. (This time change for sure)," he said. The Prime Minister claimed that the BJP looks at Punjab from the perspective of "Punjabiyat" whereas his rivals look at the state only through the lens of political power.
The PM also mentioned the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor - the road to Darbar Sahib Kartarpur (the final resting place of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism) in Pakistan. "They (Congress) abandoned Kartarpur Gurudwara in Pakistan. Should they have not made efforts to keep it in India? In 1965, if they tried, we would have had Gurunanak's birthplace in India," he said while claiming credit for the development of the corridor.
PM Modi said farming, trade and industry will be made profitable in five years if the BJP-led alliance is voted to power in the state.
"Give me five years to serve you. I assure you farming, trade, industry will be made profitable," he said.
The Prime Minister reached here to attend the rally after offering prayers at the 'Shri Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Mandir' in Delhi's Karol Bagh on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti.
"Today is Sant Ravidas Jayanti. Before coming here, I went to Guru Ravidas Vishram Mandir (in Delhi) and sought blessings," he said.