"It was Congress that let Kartarpur Sahib go, PM Modi reunited it": Rajnath Singh

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], June 24 : Kartarpur Sahib got out of hand due to the mistake of Congress during partition, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Chandigarh on Saturday.

Singh was in Chandigarh to attend Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) public outreach 'Sampark Se Samarthan' to mark the completion of nine years of the Modi government at the Centre.

"When the country got independence, the line of partition was drawn on the chest of Punjab. At the time of partition, Congress leaders were in such a hurry to gain power that they let go of Shri Kartarpur Sahib. Our Prime Minister has constructed the Kartarput Sahib Corridor," he said.

"If anyone has understood this pain for the first time, it was only Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Because of his efforts, Kartarpur Sahib has been reconnected with Punjab. People know better what the BJP government has done in 9 years," he added.

Speaking on law and order in Punjab, he said, "As far as Punjab is concerned, development here has been BJP's top most priority. Punjab is a border state and when Captain Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister, there was good coordination in matters related to security."

"Punjab is our top priority, whenever there are law and order issues it is a major concern for us. Everyone knows about the present government of Punjab," he added.

"I am the Defense Minister of the country and I am well aware of Punjab and Punjabiyat. When it comes to the security of the country, the people of Punjab, especially the people of the Sikh community, forget all grievances and stand together. They are one of the most patriotic and brave societies found in the world," he further remarked.

"Whichever party is included in NDA or even separated, there was never any distance from the heart. Today, I am missing Parkash Singh Badal, one of the tallest leaders of not only Punjab but of the country. I pay my respects to him," Singh said.

Lauding PM Modi, Rajnath Singh said, "Prime Minister Modi is called Boss by the Prime Minister of Australia. The President of America wants his autograph, and the President of Papua New Guinea touches his feet. It is an expression of the world's respect for him."

This area of Chandigarh is Tri Junction of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab and these three states, together make the biggest contribution to the Indian Army.