‘Hindustan zindabad tha, hai aur rahega’: Sunny Deol at first roadshow

Barmer: Bollywood actor Sunny Deol, who recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, held his first roadshow here on Saturday.

A huge crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor-politician. Some of them were seen gifting him his portrait while others gave him a headgear.

Dressed in a white shirt and sporting a cap, the actor happily accepted the gifts even as his famous dialogue from the movie ‘Gadar’ – “Hindustan zindabad tha, zindabad hai, zindabad rahega” played in the background as he waved at the crowd.

The place has a distinct connection with the actor.

During the battle of Longewala in 1971, a Company (120 soldiers from 23rd Battalion, Punjab Regiment) of the Indian Army, commanded by Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, registered a brilliant victory over a Brigade (2000-3000 soldiers) of the Pakistani Army. The Pakistani attacking force consisted of 40-45 tanks as well.

The battle went on to be immortalised by Deol’s film ‘Border’ in which he played the character of Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri.

It was Uttarlai Air Base in Barmer from where Indian Air Force jets took off in support of the ground forces. Uttarlai Air Base was also one of the bases that Pakistan Air Force struck on December 3, 1971, which started the war between India and Pakistan.

Sunny Deol has been fielded from Gurudaspur from where late actor Vinod Khanna had contested successfully on a BJP ticket.

Deol, who joined BJP just four days ago on April 23, has already come under electoral crosshairs of the party’s rivals with Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh terming him a ‘filmi fauji’.

“Sunny Deol is a ‘filmi fauji,’ while I am a ‘real fauji.’ Captain Amarinder Singh had said in Gurdaspur, Punjab on Friday.