Remember sacrifices of Sikh Gurus, says Modi as farmer protests show no signs of waning

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 27

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that people should to remember the sacrifices made by Guru Tegh Bahadur, Guru Gobind Singh, Mata Gujri and the four "Sahibzadas".

In his last ‘Mann ki Baat’ address of the year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to several revered Sikh personalities, including sons of Guru Gobind Singh, saying their sacrifices helped keep our culture safe.

"We pay tributes to the brave Chaar Sahibzaade, we remember Mata Gujri, we recall the greatness of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. We remain indebted to these greats for their sacrifices and their spirit of compassion," he said.

He also spoke of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying it taught the country hard lessons.

“It was challenging,” Modi said, “but taught people resilience. This resilience had its source from the inner resource strength of ‘Aatam Nirbhar’,” he said.  

His remarks that come as Modi’s government grapples with an ongoing farmers’ protest that comprise, in large part, of Sikh farmers.

The prime minister and has government has been trying to mollify protesters and has been trying to reach out to the Sikh community in particular since the protests escalated in November.

PTI reported that the IRCTC sent out nearly two crore emails between December 8 and December 12 to its customers listing 13 decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support the Sikh community, amidst farmers’ protest against the Centre’s three farm laws.

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Additionally, the prime minister’s recent visit to Delhi’s Gurdwara Rakabganj amid a standoff with farmers also drew attention from the press.

Farmers mainly Punjab and Haryana have been protesting three controversial farm laws Parliament passed in September. Farmers primarily fear that the laws would render the APMC, or the mandi system, weakened and would leave them open to exploitation. Another objection is the clause that allows contract farming, which they say could lead to losing their lands to big corporations. Centre disputes both claims. 

Farmers laid siege to Delhi in November---they blocked national highways leading into Delhi and have since refused to budge. Their numbers have continued to swell since, as farmers from across the country began joining the protests. Talks with the central government have so far yielded no results, with both parties sticking to their guns---farmers want a complete repeal of the laws and another legislation to promise a minimum support price, while the central government has offered several “concessions” short of rescinding the laws.

Farmers' unions meanwhile claim that the central government has been trying to malign the movement by calling them variously as "Khalistanis" and "urban naxals". The central government meanwhile accuses opposition and what they claim are vested political interests of misleading protesters.