JOIN USPuri receives holy books from Kabul; 44 Afghan Sikhs flown in from Afghanistan
Ahead of the Punjab elections, Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and V Muraleedharan on Tuesday drove to the airport to receive three 'saroopas' of Guru Granth Sahib that were brought here from strife-torn Afghanistan.
Puri posted a video on his Twitter handle, standing barefoot on the aerobridge near the aircraft door to receive the 'saroopas' (copies) of the Sikh holy book that were brought here from the Karte Parwan Gurdwara in Kabul.
Amid chants of 'Satnam Waheguru', Puri and senior BJP leaders R P Singh and Tajinder Bagga carried the suitcases containing the 'saroopas' on their heads and walked in procession along with 44 Afghan Sikhs who were also evacuated on the special flight.
Sardar Himmat Singh Ji, one of the three sevadars who accompanied the three holy Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji from Kabul thanks PM @narendramodi ji & Indian govt for the seva & safe passage.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) August 24, 2021
@PMOIndia @AmitShah @JPNadda @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/Pm3b2ODcRz
Among the 44 Afghan Sikhs were three sevadaars – Sardar Himmat Singh, Sardar Kulraj Singh and Sardar Dharmendra Singh – who brought the holy books from Kabul.
BJP leaders hailed Puri's gesture of personally receiving the holy books at the airport, contending that India was the only country where “all Indic spiritual traditions” will find a safe home to live and thrive.
“Performing their duties Union Ministers Puri and Muralidharan showcase Modi government's commitment & devotion towards Sikhs & Sikh Gurus by being personally present to receive Shri Guru Granth Sahib Swaroop that arrived from Afghanistan in Delhi,” BJP leader Sunil Deodhar said.
The gesture by Puri and BJP leaders comes amid the heat faced by the party in Punjab for ignoring the farmers' demands of scrapping the three farm laws.
BJP, which till recently was a junior partner in the coalition with the Akali Dal, has announced that it will contest the upcoming assembly elections alone.
The BJP's tough stand on the three farm laws has resulted in several leaders quitting the party fearing a backlash from the farmers, who have been protesting on the borders of the national capital for the past nine months.
Puri sought to justify the amendments to the Citizenship Act citing the situation in Afghanistan, where religious minorities were fleeing the country that was taken over by the Taliban.
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