Nanded, Jan 25 (PTI) Guru Tegh Bahadur chose the path of sacrifice so that people could live with dignity, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said on Sunday at the Hind Di Chadar Shaheedi Samagam being held in Maharashtra’s Nanded to mark the revered Sikh Guru’s 350 martyrdom anniversary.
The AP CM, in an apparent reference to recent attacks in Bangladesh, said the pain of minorities in neighbouring countries must remind everyone that the sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur is not just a piece of history but also an ultimatum.
“In the form of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji, we just don’t remember a Guru but the consciousness that taught protection of religion to humanity. Guru Tegh Bahadur chose the path of sacrifice so the people could live with dignity. He gave his head for religion, and that is why he is called Dharam Di Chadar, Hind Di Chadar,” Kalyan said.
He also said Viksit Bharat 2047, as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is not just about economic prosperity but also about moral, social and cultural upliftment, will remain incomplete without active participation of the youth.
He also hailed the “mighty presence and contribution” of the Sikh community in Maharashtra.
Speaking on the occasion, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar highlighted the similarities in the teachings of Sant Namdev and Guru Tegh Bahadur.
“Both of them asserted that god is one. They struggled against injustice and stood for religious freedom. Many creations of Sant Namdev are included in the Guru Granth Sahib,” Pawar pointed out.
Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa, one of the organisers of the event, said Sant Namdev connected Punjab and Maharashtra.
“If these states had not come ahead in the fight against injustice, the country would have not gained freedom today. We should also always remember personalities like Sant Namdev, Guru Nanak Dev ji, Guru Tegh Bahadur ji as they gave their blood for the soil,” Khalsa said. PTI AW BNM
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