‘350-foot pillar honouring Guru Tegh Bahadur should be installed at Anandpur Sahib’: Chandumajra writes to PM Modi

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Prem Singh Chandumajra, former MLA Harinderpal Singh Chandumajra, and their team welcomed the nagar kirtan here on Thursday.

The nagar kirtan started from the Dhupri Sahib of Assam and reached Gurdwara Sri Dukhniwaran Sahib in Patiala before leaving for Anandpur Sahib. They also honoured the Panj Pyare on the occasion.

Prem Singh Chandumajra said Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life for the protection of religion; therefore, a 350-foot pillar named ‘Minar-e-Freedom of Religion’ should be constructed at Anandpur Sahib to mark his 350^th martyrdom anniversary.

To this end, he said he had written two letters: one to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the other to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Dhami.

He said just as the ‘Pillar of Unity’ had been erected in Gujarat in memory of Sardar Patel, the true deserving place for such a monument is Anandpur Sahib, where a sacrifice was made for the protection of religion.

Writing to the SGPC, he said, was aimed at urging the committee to coordinate with the Centre for the construction of the pillar.

He said the ‘Minar-e-Freedom of Religion’ was necessary because of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s message of ‘Na daro, na darao’.

“Today, when the state is facing an atmosphere of fear — daylight murders, lootings, and ransom demands — such a pillar will continuously remind us of the Guru’s message and help restore an environment of fearlessness and religious freedom.”