STATE TIMES NEWS
CHANDIGARH: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Tarun Chugh has welcomed the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government allowing devotees to visit Nankana Sahib on the sacred occasion of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Prakash Purab (birth anniversary).
In a statement, Chugh said that this decision reflects the Modi government’s sensitivity, where security remains a top priority, yet the faith and sentiments of the devotees are never disregarded.
He added that this is the hallmark of Prime Minister Modi’s leadership maintaining a balance between security and devotion.
He recalled that after Operation Sindoor, the Ministry of Home Affairs had suspended jatha (religious groups) visits due to prevailing conditions, but the spiritual call associated with Guru Nanak Dev Ji could not be ignored. He emphasized that Nankana Sahib is not merely a religious site, but a living memory of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and a sacred place of deep emotional connection, which the Modi government has duly respected.
Chugh said that this decision is not an isolated event but part of the Modi government’s ongoing tradition of honoring the Sikh-Punjabi community. Whether it was opening the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, granting FCRA registration to Shri Darbar Sahib, removing GST from Langar, or celebrating Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 550th birth anniversary globally, every action has shown that Sikh pride and heritage are of utmost importance to Prime Minister Modi, he added.
He also highlighted how the Modi government stood with the Sikh community in times of pain and injustice-from delivering justice to the victims of the 1984 riots, removing blacklists against overseas Sikhs, to safely bringing Afghan Sikhs to India.
Chugh remarked that Modi is the only Prime Minister who has bowed with true devotion at places like Rakab Ganj Sahib, Sultanpur Lodhi, and Patna Sahib.
Chugh said that the development of Punjab has always been a priority for the Modi government-be it the establishment of AIIMS in Bathinda, the Shahpurkandi Dam project to boost irrigation, or connecting Amritsar to global networks, the government has regarded Punjab not merely as a state, but as the heartbeat of India.
He also pointed out that the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir provided equal rights to Sikhs, and that institutions are being set up to promote the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji-all of which prove that the Modi government has protected both the dignity and future of the Sikh community.
Chugh said that as the Sangat (devotees) prepare to embark on the journey to Nankana Sahib, they do so with the blessings of a government that truly honors their heritage.
He said that for Prime Minister Modi, the Sikh community is not a vote bank but a living pillar of India’s soul. The Modi government will always stand with the Sikh Panth, safeguard their rights, preserve their legacy, and ensure that the message of the Gurus-service, compassion, and equality-continues to illuminate the path of the nation, he added.