During PM’s Gurdwara Visit, Sermon Preaches “Help Improve Society”

Narendra Modi rounded up his unscheduled visit to a gurdwara in Delhi on Sunday, where he knelt in respect and offered his prayers, a sermon put forth this advice: “You may be a religious person, attend Satsangs (prayer meets) and do Seva (service), but there must be changes in your thinking that truly help better society.”

The PM visited the iconic Gurudwara Rakabganj in Delhi at a time when his government is confronting huge anger among farmers, many of them from Punjab, who have been protesting against new laws on how and where their produce can be sold. The sermon was being recited in the background by the granthi or ceremonial reader in Punjabi.

The Prime Minister’s visit, which was organised without any special traffic or other arrangements for him, lasted about 15 minutes.

Farmers have blocked several key entry points to Delhi for nearly a month now, arguing that the new reforms, which the PM has assured will benefit them, will in fact serve big corporates who will end up dominating the markets after they are deregulated. They want the laws to be withdrawn and a new legal commitment to be made to the minimum support price that they get for growing crops like wheat and rice.

Talks between the government and representatives of farmer unions have failed despite several lengthy rounds. Last week, the Supreme Court suggested a committee be set up of farmer representatives and ministers to review the new reforms. The court also said the protests can continue for now and asked the government to consider not implementing the new laws till the matter is resolved.