Homage paid to Jassa Singh Ahluwalia on 300th birth anniv

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 23

Sikh warrior Baba Jassa Singh Ahluwalia had aimed at founding the Khalsa Raj, said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while delivering his speech before a lecture on him organised by Vir Singh Sadan here today.

The lecture, “Baba Jassa Singh: Life and Times”, was organised on his 300th birth anniversary.

Jassa Singh, who was inspired by Mata Sundari, conquered Delhi defeating Mughals and left for Punjab after getting the historic places of the Sikh community liberated. His aim was not to establish his kingdom, said former the Prime Minister, who is also the president of Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan.

In 1783, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Jassa Singh Ramgariya and Bhagel Singh had defeated Mughal emperor Shah Alam, who had gone into hiding.

He said the Sikh community should come together leaving their personal benefits aside and adopt their lives according to the path shown by Gurus to establish a new society.

Former Chief Justice of India, Justice JS Khehar, said Jassa Singh had won all wars he had fought against Mughals in Delhi, Lahore, Amritsar and Kapurthala and proved a natural leader of the Sikh community.

When Ahmad Shah Abdali had damaged Harmandir Sahib, it was Baba Jassa Singh who had got it repaired. He had died in the corridor of Darbar Sahib, he said.

The lecture was delivered by Professor PS Kapur, former Pro-Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University.

Others who spoke on the occasion were Brig Sukhjit Singh, scion of the Kapurthala royal family, and Manjit Sigh (GK), president of the DSGMC.