New Delhi, Feb 18: In a major development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday met a delegation of Sikh leaders at his official residence on Friday. This comes as an important gesture with just a few days left for the Punjab elections.

 

 

The Sikh personalities who attended the meeting with Modi included Delhi Gurudwara Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka, Padma Sri-awardee Baba Balbir Singh Sichewal, Mahant Karamjit Singh of Sewapanthi in Yamuna Nagar, Baba Joga Singh of Dera Baba Jang Singh in Karnal, and Sant Baba Mejor Singh Waa of Mukhi Dera Baba Tara Singh Waa in Amritsar, official sources said.

 

Jathedar Baba Sahib Singh of Kar Sewa in Anandpur Sahib, Surinder Singh Namdhari Darbar of Bheni Sahib, Baba Jassa Singh of Shiromani Akali Budha Dal, Harbhajan Singh of Damdami Taksal and Giani Ranjit Singh, Jathedar, Takht Sri Patna Sahib also attended the meeting, they said.

 

 

 

Following the meeting, several Sikh delegation leaders came out in support of PM Modi and the BJP government for their services to the Sikh community in the past years. The Sikh leaders described the prime minister as a “Sikh at heart” and lauded PM Modi for his efforts towards the Sikh community.

 

They also said that no other government has done more to the people of the Sikh community than the PM Modi government. He mentioned PM Modi’s move to remove the blacklist on international community members and said that the people are thankful for the PM’s service and pray for his long and healthy life.

 

Moreover, Karamjit Singh quoted Modi as saying that 'Sikhi' (attributes associated with Sikhs) and service, another quality identified with the community, is in his blood. This touched our hearts, he said, lauding various initiatives of the government for the community, including the removal of GST on langars run by gurdwaras. Kalka noted the SIT constituted by the government to act against those involved in anti-Sikh riots in 1984 and praised Modi.

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