Wooing Sikhs: Haryana plans its own 'Virasat-e-Khalsa'

Mandated with the task of turning the BJP's fortunes around in neighbouring Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and his government are going all out to woo the Sikh community. 

The state government, sources say, plans to build an ambitious Sikh museum on three acres in Kurukshetra on the lines of Virasat-e-Khalsa in Punjab’s Anandpur Sahib. Also, the government is simultaneously working on a Guru Ravidas museum and bhawan, which will come up on five acres in Kurukshetra.

The Saini government has finalised a consultant, Splat media, for the ambitious museum, whose conceptual design with a tentative cost of Rs 115 crore is ready. The foundation stone of the museum will be laid in November, and it will be ready and open to visitors in two years, the sources add.

Since hardly any artefacts are available, this museum will look at the roots of Sikhism, the birth and rise of Khalsa and highlight the Sikh empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It will also showcase the contemporary global Sikh identity using audio-visual means. The sources say the consultant’s concept plan includes an amphitheatre, a meditation hall, a light and sound show and a musical fountain among others. 

The government has also fast-tracked the construction of the Guru Ravidas museum and bhawan. Last week, CM Saini chaired a meeting to discuss the events to be organised in Haryana to mark the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, in November.

Besides strengthening the bond with the Sikh community in his home state, Saini has been visiting Punjab on a regular basis. The year began with a Saini sammelan in Ropar and frequent meetings with leaders and activists of the neighbouring state. He visited Sangrur to pay his respects to veteran Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhinsa and targeted the AAP government. He caused a flutter in Punjab politics by visiting Sunam on Udham Singh’s martyrdom anniversary.

“Nayab Singh Saini is the party’s OBC face at the national level. He has specifically been asked by the party top brass to widen the base of the party in Punjab," says a senior party leader.

The BJP intends to replicate the “Haryana model of growth” in Punjab to grow its base and come back to power. “We will go all out to woo various communities. While we have a substantial presence amongst the Scheduled Castes and the upper castes, we want to reach out to the other communities, including the Sikhs,” stresses the leader, indicating that the CM’s visits could go up in the months to come.

At present, the BJP has only two MLAs in the 117-member Punjab Assembly. However, the party is now trying to woo the farmers as well as the Sikh community. Its Punjab unit is cosying up to farmers by supporting them in their protest against the land pooling policy. The party has appointed 13 Sikh leaders as district presidents.