News Analysis India

Tag: Guru Tegh Bahadur

  • India never posed threat to any country; has followed Sikh Gurus’ ideals: PM Narendra Modi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India has never posed a threat to any country or society and it thinks for the welfare of the entire world even today amid global conflicts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, asserting that the country is following the ideals of Sikh gurus.

    Addressing an event from the Red Fort to celebrate the 400th birth anniversary of Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur, Modi said the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib near the Red Fort stands a symbol of the immortal sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

    “This holy Gurudwara reminds us how great was the sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji to protect our great culture. At that time there was a storm of religious fanaticism in the country. India, which considered religion as a matter of philosophy, science and self-reflection, was facing people who had committed violence and atrocities in the name of religion,” he said.

    At that time, there was a great hope for India to save its identity in the form of Guru Tegh Bahadur, he noted. “In front of Aurangzeb’s tyrannical thinking, Guru Tegh Bahadur ji, becoming ‘Hind di Chadar’, stood like a rock,” Modi said.

    Red Fort is witness that Aurangzeb and tyrants like him might have beheaded many people but our faith could not be separated from us, the prime minister said. “The sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur has inspired many generations of India to live and die to protect the dignity of their culture, for its honour and respect. Big powers have disappeared, big storms have calmed down, but India still stands immortal and is moving ahead,” Modi asserted.

    “India has never posed a threat to any country or society. Even today we think for the welfare of the whole world. When we talk about a self-reliant India, we keep the progress of the whole world in front of that goal,” he said.

    The prime minister also released a commemorative coin and postage stamp to mark the occasion. The programme was focussed on highlighting the teachings of the ninth Sikh guru who sacrificed his life to protect religion and human values, ideals and principles in world history.

    Guru Tegh Bahadur’s death anniversary is commemorated as ‘Shaheedi Divas’ every year on November 24. Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, built at the spot where he was beheaded, and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, the site of his cremation, in Delhi are associated with his sacrifice.

    His legacy serves as a great unifying force for the nation. The fort was chosen as the venue for the event as it was from here that Aurangzeb had given orders for the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1675, according to Ministry of Culture officials.

    The event also saw performances by 400 Sikh musicians and a langar was also held.

  • Guru Tegh Bahadur birth anniversary: PM Narendra Modi to address nation from Red Fort after sunset

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation from the Red Fort on Thursday night to mark the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the first prime minister to deliver a speech at the Mughal-era monument after sunset.

    Modi will be addressing the nation from the lawns of the Red Fort and not its ramparts.

    The fort was chosen as the venue for the event as it was from here that Mughal ruler Aurangzeb had given orders for the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, in 1675, according to officials of the culture ministry.

    The ramparts of the Red Fort is from where prime ministers addresses the nation on Independence Day. Prime Minister Modi will speak at 9:30 pm on Thursday and his speech will be about interfaith peace and harmony among communities, according to the officials.

    Other than Independence Day, this is the second time that Modi will be making a speech from the monument. In 2018, he had hoisted the national flag at the monument and commemorated the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind Government by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

    His address on this occasion was at 9 am. The Thursday event will have performances by 400 Sikh musicians and there will also be a langar. Modi will also release a commemorative coin and postage stamp to mark the occasion, the officials said.

    Close to the Red Fort, is the Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Chandni Chowk. It was built at the site where Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded by the Mughals, they said, adding that Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, which is near Parliament, was built at his cremation site.

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday will start off the event, which will be attended by 11 chief ministers and prominent Sikh leaders from across the country. The families of 400 Sikh ‘jathedars’ have also been invited, including those from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

  • Amarinder urges Modi to help turn Anandpur Sahib into Smart City as tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur

    Express News Service
    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clear the state government’s proposal for launching various projects worth Rs 937 crores, including the development of Anandpur Sahib as a Smart City, to pay a befitting tribute to the Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru, whose 400th Prakash Purab is being celebrated this year.

    Participating virtually in the high-level national committee meeting convened by the Prime Minister to finalise plans for celebration of the 400th Prakash Purab, Amarinder said, “We are all fortunate to celebrate this great event in our lifetimes and I urge Modi to ensure that this historic event is commemorated not only at the national but also at a global level.”

    He said Guru Tegh Bahadur, also known as Hind Di Chadar, stands as a shining symbol of our country’s great pluralistic tradition and secularism and his supreme sacrifice – ‘sis diya par sirr na diya’ – forms an important part of India’s history.

    The Chief Minister said that he was “blessed” as during his present tenure he had got the opportunity to be part of the grand celebrations of the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh  and the 550th Prakash Purab of Guru Nanak Dev too. “Even during my last tenure, I was fortunate to be part of the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of Guru Granth Sahib,” he said.

    Briefing the Prime Minister on the memorandum sent to the Centre in this regard, Amarinder said his government plans to duly recognise the towns and villages associated with the life of Guru Sahib in the state by upgrading their infrastructure. Besides the city of Amritsar, the town of Anandpur Sahib and Baba Bakala are significant in this regard, he said. In addition, he said that there are 78 villages in the state graced by the Guru (charan chho prapt).

    Amarinder said the proposal sent by the state government includes projects for development of infrastructure in and around Anandpur Sahib, Amritsar and Baba Bakala; rejuvenation of village ponds and traditional water bodies for Water Conservation in 78 Punjab villages that were visited by the Guru; and setting up Guru Tegh Bahadur School of Textile Technology and Guru Tegh Bahadur Institute ofHandicrafts at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, and Sathiala, Baba Bakala, respectively.

    He further requested the Prime Minister that the Union government should release a special commemorative stamp on this occasion. He suggested that commemorative events should be held all across the country, as well as at all Indian missions abroad, in order to carry the powerful message of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s life.

    Amarinder informed the Prime Minister that the details of the main programme on May 1 are being finalised keeping in mind the COVID situation in the country and particularly in Punjab.