CHANDIGARH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he would have “taken Kartarpur Sahib from Pakistan” and released 90,000 Pakistani soldiers who had surrendered during the Bangladesh war.
“When the Bangladesh war was fought, more than 90,000 Pakistani soldiers had surrendered. Had I been there at that time I would have taken Kartarpur Sahib from Pakistan and then released their soldiers. I could not do that, but I did as much as I could. Today, the Kartarpur Sahib corridor is active for devotees to visit,” Modi said.
“Congress did the partition of the country in such a way that for 70 years, we had to look at Kartarpur Sahib through binoculars. Today, the Kartarpur Sahib corridor is active for the devotees to visit there,” he said, addressing a poll rally at Patiala in Punjab.
Modi said that INDIA bloc neither has a leader nor an intent. “On the one side there is BJP and NDA and on the other `bhrashtachariyon ka INDI gathbandhan,” he said, adding the INDIA bloc wants to divide country and society but Modi wants to make India ‘Viksit Bharat’.
He targeted Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, saying he is a “kagzi CM” who is always busy marking his presence in “Delhi darbar”. Modi lambasted the AAP government, accusing it of presiding over a state where the drug trade thrives, and industries are fleeing due to mismanagement. “The entire government is running on debt. The government writ does not run here while sand and drug mafia, and shooter gangs rule,’’ he claimed.
Modi reached the rally venue amid farmers’ agitation at various points in the district.
Capt Amarinder fails to attend Modi rally
Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh who joined the BJP two years ago, did not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at Patiala owing to health issues. “Capt Amarinder was resting at home in Delhi, unwell since May 14, prior intimation of absence given to PMO,” said an aide of Amarinder. Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh asked, “...Why is the outgoing PM silent even after 100 days of farmer protests? What happened to the outgoing PM’s allegations of corruption against Capt Amarinder Singh?”