NEW DELHI, Jul 3: The Government will celebrate 350th birth anniversary of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh across the country and has earmarked Rs 100 crore for the events.
Addressing a function to commemorate 300th anniversary of martyrdom of Sikh general Baba Banda Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a high-level national committee will be formed that would chalk out an elaborate plan for the celebrations.
“Government of India will be celebrating 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in every corner of the country. It will be celebrated everywhere across the world where Indians reside.
“For this, the Government of India has earmarked an amount of Rs 100 crore. A high-level committee is being formed to look into organisation of the events,” Modi said.
The Punjab Government will also contribute a matching amount for the event.
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Sikh Guru was born on December 22, 1666.
“Commemoration of the historical events will connect future generations with our roots. Those who forget history can never create history. Only those can create history who are connected with the historical roots.
“So, if we celebrate 300th, 350th or a centenary, all these events connect us with the great and historical traditions,” he said.
Incidentally, the AAP Government in Delhi had recently named the Barapullah bridge after Baba Banda Singh.
The AAP is trying hard to make inroads in Punjab, while the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine may have to overcome a ten-year anti-incumbency factor in the state as polls are scheduled to be held in the first half of 2017.
Modi began his speech with the Sikh victory cry of “Jo bole so nihal…” and spoke a few sentences in Punjabi explaining the relevance of the sacrifice made by Baba Banda Bahadur Singh while defending the cause of freedom and socialism.
He said the present generation should seek inspiration from the life of Baba Banda Bahadur and try to emulate him in their day-to-day life.
Modi said the Sikh general was a sensitive administrator and never deviated from the path of justice for all despite living most part of his life under adverse circumstances and shadow of war.
“He did not deviate from his path…He did not let himself to be distracted,” Modi said.
Addressing a packed Indira Gandhi indoor stadium here, Modi said his dedication Guru Gobind Singh is one of the finest example of ‘guru-shishya’ relationship.
Likening his skills with to Maratha King Shivaji, the PM said with his organisational
capabilities and great courage, Baba Banda Bahadur took on his enemies with limited resources.
“He fought for the equal rights of the people. He ensured that the farmer gets his due. He worked on empowering people and igniting the spirit of development in the masses. He was a real socialist…People under him got justice,” Modi said.
Recalling one of the decisions of the warrior, who was born as Lachhman Dass to a Dogra Rajput family, Modi said in that age, the rulers and emperors brought out currency bearing image of their face. “But the currency he brought out bore the faces of Sikh gurus…He never sought anything for himself,” he said.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, state Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab and Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and some Union ministers were present on the occasion.
Modi also released a coffee table book on Baba Banda Bahadur Singh.
In his address, the Punjab CM said even Modi can be described as “bahadur” for what he has achieved for the country.
He said there was a need to rekindle the spirit of nationalism. He lamented that neither there is a memorial to the freedom struggle nor a war memorial in the country. (PTI)
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