भारतीय जनता पार्टी के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री अमित शाह द्वारा पंजाब की स्थापना के स्वर्ण जयंती महोत्सव में दिए गए संबोधन के मुख्य बिंदु

Salient points of speech given by the BJP National President, Shri Amit Shah on the occasion of golden jubilee of the formation of the state of Punjab

Bowing before gurus and saints and the brave, I congratulate the people of Punjab on the occasion of golden jubilee of the formation of the state. I congratulate the people also on behalf of the Prime Minister: Amit Shah ************ During the 10 years for which the Sonia-Manmohan government ruled from the Centre, just about anybody dared to insult our territorial integrity. This scenario has changed in the two-and-a-half years of Modi government: Amit Shah ************ Today the whole world knows that India’s territorial integrity cannot be fiddled with. One who dares must face our fury: Amit Shah ************ It is a pleasant coincidence that Punjab is celebrating the golden jubilee of its formation in the same year when Guru Gobind Singh’s 350th birth anniversary will be commemorated. We will take special measures to observe the year in the memory of Guru Gobind Singh: Amit Shah ************ Since independence, if a government has worked the most for the farmers, it’s the BJP government headed by Shri Narendra Modi: Amit Shah ************ Be it agriculture, industry, rural development, employment, urban development or healthcare services, the Akali-BJP coalition has worked in every sphere in the last 10 years to turn Punjab into an ideal province: Amit Shah ************ At the inception of the Green Revolution that was meant to address the issue of crisis of foodgrains, they were the farmers of Punjab who filled the warehouses across the country. The self-sufficiency of India in foodgrains cannot be imagined without Punjab contributing to it: Amit Shah ************ Punjab represents the vitality of India. Punjab has seen the tradition of martyrdom and sacrifices for the protection of the nation and its faiths since the ancient ages: Amit Shah ************ Be it the war of 1965 or that of 1971, be it the Kargil war or the war on terror, Punjab has never shied away from sacrifices: Amit Shah ************ Many brave youngsters like Sardar Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Madan Lal Dhingra have sacrificed themselves for the nation: Amit Shah ************ On one side you have us — who take pride in the sacrifice of the young of Punjab, feel proud about the bravery and valour of the Punjabi youth who secure our borders and recognize the contribution of Punjab to the Green Revolution. On the other, you have those who accuse the Punjabi youth of being drug addicts and yet they have the gall to ask for your votes: Amit Shah ************ Those who do not feel proud of the Punjabi youth, of their bravery and those who do not feel great about the farmers of Punjab have no right whatsoever to seek votes from Punjab: Amit Shah ************

BJP president Shri Amit Shah today participated in the golden jubilee celebrations of the formation of the state of Punjab held in Amritsar. Speaking on the occasion, he hailed the contribution of the youth in Punjab towards the development and security of the country. Present on the occasion were Chief Minister of Punjab and convenor of Shri Parkash Singh Badal, senior leader of the BJP and the country’s finance minister Shri Arun Jaitley, Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee head Jatthedar Avtar Singh ji and several leaders of the Akali Dal and BJP other than eminent guests.

Bowing before gurus and saints and the brave, Shri Shah congratulated the people of Punjab on the occasion of golden jubilee of the formation of the state and said that the very mention of Punjab brought memories of Guru Gobind Singh. “It is a pleasant coincidence that Punjab is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its formation in the same year when Guru Gobind Singh’s 350th birth anniversary will be commemorated. It’s an occasion to rejoice,” Shri Shah said, adding that the NDA government at the Centre Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had decided to take special measures to observe the year in the memory of Guru Gobind Singh. “The BJP has further decided to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh’s arrival on earth with all respect and devotion in every tehsil and mandal of the country,” he said and added that the whole country would praise the guru’s valour and spiritual powers.

Shri Shah said that Punjab represented the vitality of India. “Punjab has seen the tradition of martyrdom and sacrifices for the protection of the nation and its faiths since the ancient ages,” he said, adding that the legacy of the Sikh gurus has been preserved well by the proud people of Punjab. Be it the war of 1965 or that of 1971, be it the Kargil war or the war on terror, Punjab has never shied away from sacrifices,” he said. The list of those who sacrificed their lives to defend the nation since its independence, he said, showed that Punjab led all other states. He said that Punjab led also in the number of those who were condemned by the British to prison terms in the Cellular Jail of the Andamans. “Many brave youngsters like Sardar Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Madan Lal Dhingra have sacrificed themselves for the nation,” he said. “At the inception of the Green Revolution that was meant to address the issue of crisis of foodgrains, they were the farmers of Punjab who filled the warehouses across the country. The self-sufficiency of India in foodgrains cannot be imagined without Punjab contributing to it,” he said.

Shri Shah said that the Narendra Modi government formed in 2014 had worked a lot for the nation’s glory. “Since independence, if a government has worked the most for the farmers, it’s the BJP government headed by Shri Narendra Modi,” he said. He reminded the people of the new schemes that the Centre launched for Dalits, OBCs and the poor. “One scheme was launched every 15 days on an average and it was ensured that the benefits reached the intended recipients,” said, adding, “This is why you can see the change in the form of development in the country.”

The BJP president said that the Modi government secured the borders of the country. “During the 10 years for which the Sonia-Manmohan government ruled from the Centre, just about anybody dared to insult our territorial integrity. This scenario has changed in the two-and-a-half years of Modi government,” he said, adding, “Today the whole world knows that India’s territorial integrity cannot be fiddled with. One who dares must face our fury.” He said that national security would be ensured at all costs.

Shri Shah said, “Be it agriculture, industry, rural development, employment, urban development or healthcare services, the Akali-BJP coalition has worked in every sphere in the last 10 years to turn Punjab into an ideal province.” He said that Punjab was going to witness its Assembly election in this golden jubilee year, where the people would once again have to decide the state’s fate. He said that the people had a choice between the Akali-BJP coalition that has stayed united for three decades, working for the development of Punjab, and the Congress and some new parties. “On one side you have us — who take pride in the sacrifice of the young of Punjab, feel proud about the bravery and valour of the Punjabi youth who secure our borders and recognize the contribution of Punjab to the Green Revolution. On the other, you have those who accuse the Punjabi youth of being drug addicts and yet they have the gall to ask for your votes,” Shri Shah said. He said that those who did not feel proud of the Punjabi youth, of their bravery and those who did not feel great about the farmers of Punjab had no right whatsoever to seek votes from Punjab.

He said that the BJP-Akali coalition had a government at the Centre, too, and so had Punjab. “In the last two-and-a-half years, the Narendra Modi government and Arun (Jaitley) ji has removed all obstacles in the path of further development of Punjab,” he said, adding if the coalition gets another five years, he had no doubt that Punjab would turn our showcase to the world. He said this was also the establishment day for Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and the Prime Minister was visiting Chhattisgarh and Haryana. “I congratulate the people also on behalf of the Prime Minister,” he said. He assured the people that like the previous elections, the Akal-BJP combine would stay united, win this ‘war’ and bring a government to the state that would develop it further.

(Mahendra Pandey)
Office Secretary