Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday morning paid a surprise visit to Gurudwara Rakabganj in New Delhi to mark the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The visit, early in the morning and without any traffic diversion or security bandobast, took other visitors at the Gurudwara by surprise.
Mr. Modi paid obeisance at the Gurudwara, chatted with the staff there including the granthis and posed for pictures with other visitors. The visit comes as several thousand farmers from Punjab and Haryana, many of them Sikhs, have been protesting for over 20 days at the borders of Delhi against three agriculture related laws passed by Parliament in the September.
The Gurudwara stands at the spot where Guru Tegh Bahadur was cremated after being killed on Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s orders, after he had interceded on behalf of Hindus for the removal of the jaziya tax (special tax paid by non-Muslim citizens).
Mr. Modi’s visit was clearly aimed at cooling some passions. Farmers groups have been upset over statements from the BJP alleging that Khalistani separatists could also be involved in the agitation.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
