Announcement: CM announces to erect monument in memory of great martyrs

Sri Anandpur Sahib, November 23, 2012:  Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced that the state government would soon erect a monument in the memory of great martyrs Bhai Mati Dass, Bhai Sati Dass and Bhai Dyal Dass, who were martyred alongwith the Ninth Guru of the Sikhs Sri Guru Teg Bahadur by the Mughals at Chandni Chowk in Delhi.

The concept and design of the monument would be finalised in consultation with eminent Sikh scholars, intellectuals and religious personalities.

Addressing a religious congregation here at Gurdwara Sri Bhora Sahib where nearly 5000 Brahmins from across the state had converged in the form of huge delegation led by the President Shri Brahmin Sabha Punjab Devi Dyal Prashar during a ‘Rin Utaar Yatan Yatra’ (a journey aimed at an endeavour to repay the debt of Guru ji), Badal said that it was historic day when the Brahmin community has come to the holy place of Sri Anandpur Sahib from where Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib launched his journey to save the Hindu community from the tyranny and oppression unleashed by the then Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1675.

It may be recalled that Pandit Kirpa Ram Dutt called on Guru Teg Bahadur alongwith a delegation of 500 Brahmins from Kashmir urging him to protect them and their religion from the oppression of Mughals way back in 1675. 

The Chief Minister said that the unparalleled and unique sacrifice of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur would ever remain a source of inspiration for generations to come. He said Guru ji popularly known as ‘Hind di Chadar’ was the saviour of Dharma and crusader of religious freedom adding that it was immensely important for everyone to respect all the religions thereby fostering the bonds of communal harmony, peace, national integration and unity. He said the Sikh Philosophy was a perfect blend of socialism and secularism because the concept of Langar (community kitchen) propagated a sense of equality amongst the masses irrespective of caste, creed and colour where as secularism has been aptly demonstrated and exemplified by Sri Guru Teg Bahadur’s martyrdom, who laid down his life at the altar of righteousness (Dharma) to save the Hindu religion from the tyranny of Mughals.

He said our great Gurus; Sri Guru Arjun Dev, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur and Sri Guru Gobind Singh made supreme sacrifices for the welfare of humanity while fighting against injustice, cruelty and oppression. He said where all of us seek inspiration from Guru Teg Bahadur’s supreme sacrifice, at the same time we also pay rich tributes to his three accomplices Bhai Mati Dass, Bhai Sati Dass and Bhai Dyal Dass who were also martyred alongwith Guruji.

Appreciating the goodwill gesture of Brahmin Sabha to launch this journey for expressing gratitude to Sri Teg Bahadur ji for his unprecedented and unique sacrifice in the world history to ensure religious freedom to Hindu community, Badal said this journey should be made an annual feature to ensure participation of more people from barely thousands to millions from coming years. He said this journey should not merely viewed as an ordinary event but it was a great endeavour by the Brahmins Sabha to disseminate the message for strengthening the bonds of  communal harmony, secularism and brotherhood down the line. He said the alliance of SAD-BJP in Punjab was committed to ensure due respect to all religions in the state.

Earlier. in his address, the president of Brahmin Sabha thanked the SAD-BJP government especially the Chief Minister for giving due respect and recognition to the Brahmin community having population of nearly 40 lacs in the state. He said this was a humble effort to express gratitude to Guru Sahib for his great sacrifice to protect Hindus from the repression of Mughals. He said had Guru ji not protected the Hindus by laying down his life, then our community would have been no more as on today.

In his message, the Jathedar Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib Giani Tarlochan Singh said that the holy place of Sri Anandpur Sahib was a city of bliss that affords an opportunity to entire mankind to respect the ethos of human values as preached by Sri Guru Teg Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh.

Speaking on occasion, the Health and Family Welfare Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said that the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur for the sake of mankind would ever act as a beacon to imbibe the spirit of secularism and communal harmony amongst the youngsters.

In his address, MLA Ropar Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema lauded the initiative of Brahmin Sabha to acknowledge the gratitude to Guru Teg Bahadur for protecting their community through his glorious sacrifice from the tyranny of the then Mughal Emperor, when they had left all hopes. He also welcomed Prashar’s another goodwill gesture to launch this journey every year to sensitise the people of his community about this great sacrifice.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister honoured five members of Brahmin Sabha including its president with the portrait of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur ji and Siropa (rob of honor).

Later in the presence of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, the ‘Rin Utaar Yatan Yatra’ left off Delhi where the members would pay obeisance at Sri Gurdwara Seesh Ganj Sahib tomorrow on Guru ji’s martyrdom.

Earlier, the Jathedar Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib Giani Tarlochan Singh performed Ardas ceremony for the success of the Yatra which started from Temple Maisrkhana in Bathinda district on Friday and reached Sri Anandpur Sahib in the evening on the same day.

The function was attended by CPS Chaudary Nand Lal besides people from different walks of life, senior leaders and party workers of SAD-BJP, Members of SGPC and religious and spiritual personalities.