Amritsar: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week paid tributes to freedom fighters and martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and visited the historic Golden Temple on a day-long visit to Punjab.
Soon after his arrival, Modi went straight to Hussainiwala in Ferozepur district by a helicopter where he paid tributes to freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev at the National Martyrs Memorial on the anniversary of their martyrdom.
He later visited the Jallianwala Bagh memorial and paid floral tributes at the memorial, where British troops opened fire and killed hundreds of unarmed Indians in April 1919.
He stopped by the Martyr's Well which stands testimony to the brutal killing of people, many of whom had no way to save themselves but to jump in it. The Prime Minister ended his day-long visit to Punjab by spending about 40 minutes at the Golden Temple. This was his first visit to the complex after becoming Prime Minister.
Modi undertook the parikrama of the Harmandir Sahib and paid obeisance in the sanctum sanctorum, where he was offered a 'Siropa' (robe of honour) by the priest. Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur, chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, were among those who accompanied the Prime Minister.
Modi also mingled with the crowd of devotees inside the temple complex and interacted with the SGPC officials. He wrote in the visitor book of of the Golden Temple: "Guru Ashirwad bana rahey. Pavittar Pranam. Narendra Modi (May the Blessings of the Guru Always remain.)"
