The North News
Sri Anandpur Sahib, November 24
Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora on Monday has paid tribute to the “unparalleled” sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur during a special session of the state assembly held to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the ninth Sikh Guru’s martyrdom. The session, convened at the Bhai Jaita Ji Memorial in Sri Anandpur Sahib, was described as a moment of historic reflection. Mr Arora, who also serves as the Aam Aadmi Party’s state president, said the Guru’s decision to lay down his life to protect another faith remained a defining example of religious freedom and moral courage.
He described Guru Tegh Bahadur as the “Hind di Chadar”, a shield for the people of India, noting the brutal executions of his devoted Sikhs — Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dayala — who, he said, remained steadfast in their beliefs despite horrific torture.
Arora outlined several initiatives undertaken by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government to honour the Guru’s message of interfaith harmony, including financial allocations of ₹25 crore for the Dera Ballan Research Centre, ₹35 crore for the Valmiki Panorama in Amritsar, ₹75 crore for the Kali Mata Temple complex and ₹25 crore for the Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra scheme.
He said these measures were not merely budgetary provisions but a deliberate effort to uphold the principle that every individual has the freedom to practise their faith, and that the state has a duty to protect all religions and schools of thought.
Framing the special sitting as a signal of unity during a time of social and communal tension, he referred to recent violence in Manipur and Haryana, saying Punjab’s three crore residents must send a message of peace and secularism to the rest of India.
“From this holy land, we reject the ideas of both ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and ‘Khalistan’,” Mr Arora said. “Instead, we affirm, ‘Jug Jug Jive Mera Hindustan’ — long live my India — in the spirit of the unity Guru Tegh Bahadur gave his life for.”
