New Delhi, (Samajweekly) The 400th Birth Anniversary (Prakash Purab) of Guru Teg Bahadur should not be looked only as a “religious event” but his sacrifice for the religious freedom should be highlighted, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday.
“This event should not be looked as a religious event but much more emphasis should be put on highlighting the sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadur for religious freedom. Guru Teg Bahadur wanted to establish freedom of religious faith, peace and unity across the world,” he said during the high-level meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on commemorating the event.
The meeting was also attended by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee President Bibi Jagir Kaur, MPs Sukhbir Singh Badal and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, former MP Tarlochan Singh, Amul MD R.S. Sodhi and eminent scholar Amarjit Singh Grewal, among others.
Kharge stressed that the Punjab Chief Minister has made a detailed plan for the event and has also launched a logo for the same. “Keeping in view the cultural and tourism importance of the birth anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur, Captain Amarinder Singh has made several plans in Amritsar and also to develop his ancestral place in Anandpur Sahib,” he said, adding that the Central government should help the state government in such plans.
Kharge also said that the eminent writers, historians and artists should be included and seminars should be arranged in universities and colleges across the country.
The High-Level Committee was constituted by the Central government on October 24 last year to approve policies, plans and programs related to the commemoration of the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur along with supervision of the events.
It has 70 members including the Prime Minister as Chairman.
Guru Teg Bahadur, ninth of ten gurus who founded the Sikh religion, was head of the faith from 1665 until his beheading in 1675.
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