Indian Home Minister Amit Shah speaking at Red Fort, New Delhi, event on 20 April 2022 to mark the birth of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The next day, PM Narendra Modi is scheduled to speak. – Photo: Amit Shah Facebook
By Asia Samachar | India |
Prime Minister of India will be on stage today (April 21) to mark the 401st birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru who gave his life to defend the freedom of faith.
Narendra Modi will speaking from the Red Fort, the very spot from where Mughal ruler Aurangzeb gave orders for the execution of the Sikh Guru in 1675.
The Parkash Purab celebrations of Guru Tegh Bahadur will also see the release of a commemorative coin and postage stamp, Modi said in a tweet yesterday.
Why the intense interest in joining key events in the Sikh religious calendar?
Global Sikh Council (GSC) president Kanwaljit Kaur said the celebration at the Red Fort by the Government of India ‘should be of concern’.
“These celebrations are together by the Hindus and the Sikhs. RSS has openly said that Sikhs are Hindus and Guru Tegh Bahadar was a Hindu. RSS is also a party to the celebrations. It points to a subtle plan to assimilate Sikhs into Hinduism,” she said in a text message received by Asia Samachar.
“Why Modi the Prime Minister of a secular country is celebrating Guru Tegh Bahadur ji’s Prakash Utsav? Why is not he celebrating Christmas or Muslim Eid?” she asked. More on RSS here.
Modi’s speech is one of the key events at a two-day mega event being organised by the Union Culture Ministry in collaboration with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGPC). Among others, it will feature shabad kirtan by 400 ragis (Sikh musicians).
In a report quoting an unnamed official, The Indian Express outlined two reason why Red Fort was chosen as the venue..
“First, it was the place from where Mughal ruler Aurangzeb gave orders for the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1675. Second, the ramparts of Red Fort is from where the PM addresses the nation on Independence Day, so it’s an ideal place to reach out to the people with a message of interfaith peace,” said the official.
The BJP has been trying to reach out to the Sikh community ever since it decided to go it alone in the Punjab Assembly elections following the breakdown of the old alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal over the three farm laws. The PM had chosen to announce the repeal of the laws on Guru Nanak’s birthday last November, the report added.
In neighbouring Haryana, it added that BJP has planned a series of events to mark the occasion, including a grand event in Panipat on April 24.
Yesterday (April 20), Home Minister Amit Shah went on stage at Red Fort.
“Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed himself to protect the Hindu dharma. When Kashmiri Pandits narrated to him about the atrocities being committed on them by the Mughals, he said, go and tell Aurangzeb after they convert me, they can convert others,” he was was quoted as saying.
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