Prime Minister Narendra Modi unleashed a blistering critique on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab during his first election rally in the state for the seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls on June 1. PM Modi lambasted the AAP government, accusing it of presiding over a state where the drug trade thrives, and industries are fleeing due to mismanagement. 


Speaking at a public rally, Modi lamented the current state of affairs under the AAP government, stating, "The entire government is running on debt. The government writ does not run here while sand and drug mafia, and shooter gangs' rule". 


He further remarked, "In Punjab, Delhi's 'Kattar' corrupt party and the party guilty of Sikh riots are pretending to contest against each other. But the truth is, that, 'Panja' and 'Jhaadu' are two parties but they are from the same shop". 


Urging people to remain vigilant against the ruling party in the state, PM Modi aimed AAP, stating, "Those who can betray their Guru Anna Hazare, and lie 10 times in a day, neither can such people develop Punjab, nor can they leave anything for the future of your children". 


Modi Attacks Congress


Prime Minister Modi also slammed the Congress party remembering the partition of the country, and the Sikh riots, and further underscored his government's achievement of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor. 


"Congress did the partition of the country in such a way that for 70 years, we had to look at Kartarpur Sahib through binoculars... When the Bangladesh war was fought, more than 90,000 Pakistani soldiers had surrendered. Had Modi been at that time, then 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 the devotees to visit there," the Prime Minister said. 


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While campaigning for Preneet Kaur, the wife of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Patiala, Prime Minister Modi said that he had come to seek blessing in the land of Gurus by "bowing his head". 


Other BJP candidates, including Parampal Kaur Sidhu from Bathinda, Arvind Khanna from Sangrur, Hans Raj Hans from Faridkot, and Gejja Ram Valmiki from Fatehgarh Sahib, joined Modi on stage, where he wore a traditional Sikh turban.