400th Gurpurb: 9th Sikh Guru stood for religious freedom: CM

Tribune News Service

Mukesh Tandon

Panipat, April 24

The 400th Parkash Purb of the ninth Sikh Guru, “Hind di Chadar - Guru Teg Bahadur”, was celebrated with great religious fervour and devotion at a state-level programme organised by the state government in Sector 13/17 here today.

Thousands of people from across the country and state offered their prayers on the occasion and a kirtan darbar was organised which continued at the venue till late evening.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar offered his obeisance to Guru Granth Sahib in the main pandal and welcomed the sangat. Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda also participated in the programme.

The Chief Minister announced that the venue, where the state-level programme was being organised, would be in the name of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur.

PM Modi’s message read out

• Message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi was read out by MP Sanjay Bhatia at the samagam.
• The CM was served the parshada in the langar hall.
• Sports Minister Sandeep Singh brought Guru Granth Sahib from the first Patshahi Gurdwara of Panipat at the venue as per traditions.
• Gatka was performed in Exhibition Hall in which CM Manohar Lal also took part.
• Swami Gyananand Ji Maharaj, Anandmurti Gurumaa gave their message to the sangat.
• Coins from the period of Khalsa Raj were displayed at the exhibition.
• Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala and Uttarakhand Governor Lt-General Gurmit Singh (retd) addressed the sangat.
• Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal also recited the shabad kirtan.

Apart from this, the name of the path through which the palanquin of Guru Granth Sahib came, would be named as Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Marg, he said.

He announced that Government Medical College, which is going to be built in Yamunanagar, had also been named after Guru Teg Bahadur. Khattar announced that the weapons used by Guru Teg Bahadur in fighting would be exhibited across the country and the vehicle in which these weapons would be carried would be given by the Haryana Government.

College named after the guru

The Government Medical College, which is going to be built in Yamunanagar, has also been named after Guru Teg Bahadur. —Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister

The Chief Minister said Guru Teg Bahadur had made the supreme sacrifice against religious atrocities and injustice. The Guru sacrificed his life for religious freedom and humanity, he added.

Calling Mughal ruler Aurangzeb a villain, the CM said everyone should remember the heroes of the country and not the villains. Similarly in “Treta Yuga”, Ravana was a villain and Lord Rama was the hero. These great men never compromised for the protection of religion and culture, he added.

Khattar said the final journey of the Guru when he was beheaded by Aurangzeb passed through the area (present-day Haryana). Aurangzeb’s army wanted to take Guruji’s head to Delhi, but Khushal Singh Dahiya, a farmer of Badkhalsa village of Sonepat, offered his head to be taken to Aurangzeb instead of the Guru’s.

Build research centre in Guru’s memory: Hooda

Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday participated in the state-level 400th Parkash Purb of Guru Teg Bahadur held here. He offered prayers to ‘Sachche Badshah’ and sought happiness and prosperity of mankind.

Speaking at the occasion, Hooda said Guru Teg Bahadur is a Guru and revered not only by one religion but by the entire humanity.

At the event, Hooda demanded that the government should set up an international-level college and research centre at Dhamtan Sahib in the memory of the guru. Hooda said that it is a matter of pride that Haryana is celebrating the Prakashotsav of the Guru.

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