Religion dominated the discourse at the election rally addressed by Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit on Tuesday with the Prime Minister dubbing the INDIA bloc as “anti-Ram” and calling on people to punish them in the polls.

Invoking the Sikh gurus, Modi repeated the famous proverb used by Guru Govind Singh to boost the morale of his soldiers.

“Sikh guruon ko naman karta hun (I bow before the Sikh gurus),” Modi said in Pilibhit where the Sikh population is a deciding factor. “We have been hearing since our childhood — Sava lakh se ek ladaun, chidiyan te main baaj tudaun, tabai Guru Govind Singh naam kahaun (My one soldier fights against 1.25 lakh of the enemy’s camp, I make the sparrows fight with the falcons, this is why I am called by the name of Guru Govind Singh).”

The slogan was popular during the Sikh-Mughal wars.

“This saying is a symbol of India’s tradition of bravery. It shows that our target may be difficult but India gets success when it commits to something. With this inspiration and energy, the people of India are working with the commitment for a developed Bharat,” Modi said.

“I guarantee that the Sikhs who had migrated from the neighbouring countries to India would be given citizenship rights and a respectable life,” he added, referring to the CAA.

“I want to remind you how the INDI alliance has pledged to finish shakti. The Congress insulted shakti, which the entire country worships. Congress leaders talk about uprooting the shakti before which we bow our heads. Any believer of shakti will not pardon the INDI alliance for this,” Modi said.

Modi claimed that the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance doesn’t care about India’s traditions.

“A magnificent Ram temple was built in Ayodhya after a wait of 500 years. The INDIA alliance had spread hatred when the Ram temple was under construction. They hate it today also. It was fine that you (the Congress) didn’t succeed in the court to prevent the construction of the Ram temple…. But when the people of the country built it with their little contributions, when the temple management pardoned all your sins and invited you respectfully to attend the consecration programme (pran pratistha), you rejected it and insulted Lord Ram,” Modi said.

“The venom was so much that they (the Opposition) removed those who attended the pran pratistha from their party.... What kind of a party suspends those who worship Lord Ram? Brothers and sisters, never forget those who committed this sin,” Modi said.

The BJP has replaced Varun Gandhi, the sitting MP from Pilibhit, with Jitin Prasada who is new to the constituency.