CHANDIGARH, November 26 — The ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday of ignoring state-led ceremonies marking Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 350th martyrdom anniversary, saying the Centre “chose not to join even after repeated invites.”
Punjab AAP chief Aman Arora said the government had extended invitations to Modi, all Union ministers and BJP leaders. “We did not raise this till November 25 because we still believed they might attend,” Arora said at a press briefing.
Punjab held multiple programmes from November 23–25, including a Vidhan Sabha session, religious processions, kirtan darbars and inter-faith gatherings, along with sound and drone shows dedicated to the Guru’s life.
Arora noted that Modi was in Kurukshetra on Tuesday for a Haryana event on the same occasion but “didn’t bother to come to Anandpur Sahib, which is minutes away by air.” “The Prime Minister and his entire leadership should feel ashamed,” he said.
He added that while the BJP promotes Modi as “Vishwaguru,” its leaders “did not come to bow before the real Vishwa De Guru — Guru Tegh Bahadur.” Arora alleged this showed “how much they hate Punjab and the Sikh community.”
Arora said he invited Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar personally and that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had also written to him urging his participation.
