Any tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur incomplete without upholding religious freedom, social justice: Scholars

Scholars and community leaders on Wednesday stressed the need to uphold religious freedom and social justice, saying that any tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, was incomplete without this. The guru’s 350th martyrdom anniversary is being observed this year.

The call was made at the inaugural lecture of a special series organised by Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi, to mark the occasion. The lecture was delivered by Harinder Singh, Director, Sikh Research Institute, USA, and attended by a large gathering of academics, students and members of the Sikh community.

Welcoming the guests, Dr Mohinder Singh announced that the Sadan had commissioned eminent scholars to prepare monographs on Guru Tegh Bahadur’s devout Sikhs — Bhai Sati Das, Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Dyala Ji — whose sacrifices remain integral to Sikh history. These works, he said, would be translated into multiple languages. Chairing the lecture, Prof Sarbjot Singh Behl underscored the need to imbibe the guru’s message as revealed through his life and bani (hymns).