CHANDIGARH: With the Punjab Assembly elections due in 2027, less than a year away, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to garner the support of the Sikh diaspora as it seeks to form a government in the border state, which still remains outside its political hold.
Wrapping up his New Zealand visit in Auckland, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to the Sikh community, which forms a sizeable section of the Indian diaspora in New Zealand and maintains close ties with its native state of Punjab.
He highlighted his government's initiatives, from airlifting the Guru Granth Sahib out of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan to installing a 300-year-old relic at Guru Gobind Singh's birthplace in Patna. He also referred to the construction of a ropeway to Hemkund Sahib to make the arduous Himalayan pilgrimage easier and said his government had resolved the difficulties faced by members of the Sikh community living abroad in connection with the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), which affected sewa at the Golden Temple.
Addressing the Indian diaspora in New Zealand, with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in attendance, Modi highlighted steps taken to facilitate pilgrimages, preserve Sikh traditions and resolve issues flagged by the community. He used the closing leg of his visit to underline his government's sustained efforts to preserve and honour Sikh heritage. His speech was as much a policy brief as a diaspora address, signalling how heritage diplomacy has become a core pillar of India's soft-power outreach.
"We love our motherland and dedicate ourselves equally to our karmbhoomi," Modi said. Lauding the Sikh Gurus, he recalled that when members of the community raised problems they faced in offering sewa at the Golden Temple due to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), his government acted promptly. "We resolved the issue immediately," he said.
He also spoke about the ongoing work to connect Hemkund Sahib with a ropeway to make the high-altitude shrine more accessible to pilgrims. "The government is constructing a ropeway to Hemkund Sahib to make the arduous Himalayan pilgrimage easier, particularly for elderly devotees," he said.
Modi further referred to the government's decision to annually commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh's sons on December 26 as Veer Bal Diwas. He said the observance had helped introduce children across the country to the courage and sacrifice of the Sahibzadas and Mata Gujri.
He also noted that the family of his Cabinet colleague Hardeep Singh Puri had preserved the Jore Sahib associated with Guru Gobind Singh for 300 years after bringing the sacred relics safely to Delhi during Partition. As the family wanted the relics to be accessible to devotees, the government, on the advice of experts, handed them over to the Takht Sri Patna Sahib Gurdwara, located at the Guru's birthplace. Modi said he was present during the ceremony.
The 12 years of the Modi government have been marked by repeated outreach to the Sikh community as the BJP seeks to deepen its acceptance among Sikhs in Punjab, where it has traditionally received a lukewarm response to its Hindutva agenda. With the Assembly elections approaching and the party's vote share increasing in recent years following the induction of several local leaders, the BJP is looking to win over a section of Sikh voters and emerge as a stronger political force in the state.
