In an apparent eye on the voters of armed forces personnel, ex-servicemen and their family members, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Uttarakhand as ‘ Sainik Dham’. Amid thundering applause of the big crowd which had gathered, the PM said that apart from four Dhams, I add fifth Dham in Uttarakhand which is ‘ Sainik Dham’. Experts believe that Modi has played a master stroke by this statement and it would surely sway the ex servicemen voters in the favour of BJP. It is pertinent to mention here that Congress President Rahul Gandhi during his recent Dehradun visit had visited the families of three martyrs who sacrificed their lives in and after Pulwama attack.
Similarly, defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while attending a programme to felicitate war widows made it a point to touch feet of the war widows.
Political observers link the Modi’s ‘Fifth Dham’ statement as an extension of the race among the political parties to woo the ex servicemen voters. In its election campaign in Uttarakhand, the BJP leaders are highlighting the surgical strike and recent air strikes on the targets inside Pakistan as major achievements of Modi government. Its leaders are also reminding that it was BJP which fulfilled long standing demand of One Rank One Pension ( OROP) of ex servicemen. Meanwhile the Opposition Congress party has reacted sharply to Modi’s ‘ Fifth Dham’ statement. The spokesperson of the state congress Garima Dasauni asked that if PM has so much respect for the army personnel then why Major General B C Khanduri ( rtd) was unceremoniously removed from the post of Chairperson of parliamentary committee on defence. She said that banners and posters of Khanduri were nowhere to seen during rally of Modi in Rudrapur.