The book “Sikhs & Modi: A Journey of Nine Years,” penned by Dr. Prabhleen Singh and published by Dr. Sandeep Ghosh of Outlook Publishers, was officially launched here today by BJP National President JP Nadda.
Nadda, speaking at a large gathering of Sikhs organized by BJP Sikh leader and former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) President Manjinder Singh Sirsa, praised the Union government’s efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to educate the world about the contributions of the Sikh Gurus and the Sikh community. He said that the country was commemorating the day on which young sahibzade of Guru Gobind Singh sacrificed themselves for national unity and integrity for the first time since independence. He said that the Sikh Gurus had taught them how to maintain social harmony, inspire loyalty to one’s nation, and unify the people behind a common flag. Following the example set by Guru Sahiban, he remarked, we are trying to make India stronger.
He said we’ve made an effort to let the world know about the role the Sikh community played in the nation’s independence movement and how it continues to play an essential role in keeping the country safe and prosperous. He said that problems that had persisted for seventy years had now been addressed thanks to the efforts of the Modi administration. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work exemplifies the Sikh concept of working for the benefit of everyone and include everyone in the process.
Pilgrims have been visiting Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib for over seven decades, he added, and successive administrations have recognized the site’s significance, but only Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed a proposal to build a ropeway to transport elderly visitors to the shrine without putting them through undue hardship.
The BJP president added that PM Modi chose to commemorate the 400th Prakash Purab at Red Fort so that the same boundary walls that saw Guru Sahib’s death could also learn about his magnificent life and his ideology.
He continued by saying that Prime Minister Modi instituted CAA to facilitate the repatriation of Sikhs living in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and others. After the Taliban took over Afghanistan, he stated, saroops of the Guru Granth Sahib ji were transported from the nation with full maryada. The Sikh martial art of Gatka, he said, would be included in the country’s National Games beginning in October 2023.
He stated that under PM Modi, the Union government granted FCRA, allowing Sikhs living abroad to make donations to Sri Harmandir Sahib Sri Amritsar Sahib, a holy site cherished by people everywhere. He added the GST exemption for Sri Harmandir Sahib was another policy decision made by the Modi administration.
He stated that 15 thousand people visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib every day thanks to the corridor that was sanctioned for construction under Prime Minister Modi and was funded by the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense. He said that 312 people who had previously thanked the government for allowing them to pay obeisance at Sri Darbar Sahib may now return to their home countries since the Modi administration has removed them off the black list.
He said that the Modi administration was responsible for reopening the inquiry into the 1984 Sikh genocide and setting the stage for the eventual conviction of those responsible, some 38 years after the events in question. He also said that the Modi administration was building a circuit to connect the Gurdwaras in different cities, including Sri Anandapur Sahib, Ferozepur, Fatehgarh Sahib, and others.
Nadda and the other visitors were greeted by BJP Sikh politician and former DSGMC President Manjinder Singh Sirsa, as well as current DSGMC President Harmeet Singh Kalka and General Secretary Jagdip Singh Kahlon.
Sirsa has said that Prime Minister Modi would forever have the gratitude of the Sikh community for everything that he has done for them. He went into depth on the steps Prime Minister Modi has made for the Sikh community over the course of his nine years in office.
Former member of parliament and senior Akali politician Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa addressed the crowd, sharing his shock at being chosen by the Modi administration for the Padam Sri award. While praising PM Modi’s efforts on behalf of the Sikh community and farmers, he complained that news of the government’s decisions was not reaching the grassroots level. Specifically, he thanked Manjinder Singh Sirsa for coming up with the concept for the book and for successfully organizing this event. He also discussed his trip to the United Kingdom and revealed that several Sikhs whose names had been on the black list were unaware of the government’s decision to remove them.
The Sikh community gathered under the leadership of DSGMC President Harmeet Singh Kalka, and they overwhelmingly passed a resolution praising PM Narendra Modi for his efforts to address the concerns of the Sikh community over the last nine years. He said that PM Modi made sure Guru Nanak Dev ji’s message of Sarb Sanjhiwalta (Common good) was heard throughout the world. He said that Prime Minister Modi had met with Sikh delegates and resolved problems facing the Sikh community.
The event’s organizers presented JP Nadda with a Phulkari (a kind of traditional Punjabi fabric) as a token of their appreciation.
Lt. General Harpal Singh, a former member of parliament named Tarlochan Singh, Justice JS Asthani, and DSGMC General Secretary Jagdip Singh Kahlon were only some of the speakers.
Dr. Sandeep Ghosh, the book’s publisher, and a number of other notable figures were in attendance.
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