Amit Shah pays tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur
Inaugurating a two-day celebration at the Red Fort to mark the 400th birth anniversary of the Sikh Guru, Union home minister Amit Shah said he gave his life for the protection of Kashmiri Pandits and other Hindus who were persecuted by the then Mughal rulers.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday paid tributes to Guru Tegh Bahadur, saying his and Guru Gobind Singh’s supreme sacrifices sowed the seed of India’s Independence.
Inaugurating a two-day celebration at the Red Fort to mark the 400th birth anniversary of the Sikh Guru, Shah said he gave his life for the protection of Kashmiri Pandits and other Hindus who were persecuted by the then Mughal rulers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the event on Thursday.
Addressing the crowd here, Shah said: “I want to say without any hesitation that it was due to the supreme sacrifices of Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh, India could get Independence later and the country is now on the 75th year of Independence.”
There is no person in this country who has remained unaffected by the supreme sacrifices of the Sikh guru, the Union minister said.
“When Kashmiri Pandits reached out to him, he joined their fight against (Mughal emperor) Aurangzeb. He said, ‘go tell Aurangzeb that if he can convert me, then he can convert the rest of the country’,” Shah said.
The home minister said organising the event at the Red Fort was a fitting tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur as his “death warrant was issued from here” by Aurangzeb and he was killed near the premises where a gurdwara stands now.
“From the place where his order of execution was declared, is the place where this government has chosen to celebrate his life,” Shah said.
The Union minister said Modi was the luckiest Prime Minister as he was fortunate to get the opportunity to organise the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur and 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.
“With great zeal and dedication, the Prime Minister is not only carrying the message of faith, sacrifice and courage of the Sikh gurus to the country, but across the world,” he said.
Shah inaugurated a multimedia show titled “the life and sacrifice of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur” at the event. A 15-minute light and sound show showcasing Guru Tegh Bahadur’s life was held. Around 400 children participated in a Shabad Kirtan.
Union minister Anurag Thakur said the Red Fort was an appropriate venue for the event.
“Red Fort is not just about August 15, there is an importance of every place. We picked iconic places for celebrating Yoga Day…” he said.
The culture ministry is organising the celebrations in collaboration with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.
Organising the event at the Red Fort was the “government’s symbolic tribute to the Sikh guru’s great sacrifice”, National Monuments Authority chairperson Tarun Vijay said.
