Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 14: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, accusing it of deliberately sowing discord between the Hindu and Sikh communities for narrow political gains.
Addressing a massive rally in Punjab's Moga — the formal launchpad for the BJP's campaign ahead of the state's upcoming Assembly elections — Shah pulled no punches in condemning what he described as the Congress's long-standing tradition of exploiting communal fault lines for electoral advantage.
Invoking the sacred legacy of the Sikh Gurus, Shah reaffirmed the BJP's commitment to the protection of Sikh shrines beyond India's borders, including those in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He pointed to the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor as a testament to the party's resolve, stating that it was the BJP's determination that made this historic pilgrimage route a reality. In an emotionally charged moment, he remarked that had the party been in power at the time of Independence, Kartarpur Sahib would have remained an integral part of India.
Shah also levelled a stinging indictment against the Congress, holding it responsible for orchestrating the attack on the Akal Takht and for systematically driving a wedge between the Hindu and Sikh communities.
With religious conversion emerging as a pressing concern in Punjab, Shah pledged that a BJP government would enact a stringent law against forced conversions — drawing a powerful parallel with the sacrifices of the Sikh Gurus, who, he noted, gave their lives resisting exactly such coercion.
Asserting that "Hindu-Sikh unity is the bedrock of Punjab's progress," Shah made the case that only a BJP government in 2027 could preserve this social cohesion while decisively tackling the state's drug epidemic.
He told the crowd that a united Punjab, powered by a "double-engine" government, was the only path to reclaiming the state's lost glory and securing its borders.
Prior to the event, Shah trained his guns on the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government, accusing it of reducing Punjab to a state mired in corruption, drugs, and crime. In a post on X, he wrote: "Every person in Punjab wants change. The sacred land of Punjab — known for its soldiers, farmers, and hardworking people — has been drowned in corruption, drugs, and crime by the 'Aap-da' government."
Describing the AAP dispensation as "remotely controlled," Shah charged that both development and law and order had gone missing under its watch. "Punjab needs change, and the BJP will provide decisive leadership to restore the state's pride and safety," he declared.
Shah cited the BJP's approximately 19 per cent vote share in Punjab during the 2024 general elections as a solid foundation for the party's ambitions in the 2027 Vidhan Sabha polls.
Drawing parallels with the party's political trajectories in other states, he expressed confidence that the BJP would steadily expand its base. "Once our double-engine government is formed in a state, it remains stable for a long time and delivers sustained development," he added.
Notably, while Shah was unsparing in his criticism of both the AAP and the Congress, he made no mention of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the BJP's former alliance partner, as he formally announced the party's decision to contest the 2027 elections independently. |
