Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today said that the state government was making all out efforts to perpetuate the rich cultural and religious legacy amongst our younger generations for which a number of path breaking initiatives have been taken by them.
Addressing a religious congregation here today at Badmajra-Balaungi, the Chief Minister said that realizing well that it was the duty of the state government to acquaint the youngsters with their rich cultural heritage the state government have erected Virasat-e-Khalsa at Sri Anandpur Sahib, ‘Chhota Ghallughara Kahnuwan Chhambh Shaheedi Memorial’ at Kahnuwan, Memorial of Wadda Ghallughara at Kup Rahiran and Fateh Burj at Chhapar Chiri to commemorate the supreme sacrifice of the legendry Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur who laid down the foundation of Khalsa Raj in India with the victory over Mughal rule. He further said that the Punjab government has already spent Rs 400 crore on the construction of Virasat-e-Khalsa which has emerged as a huge centre for attraction amongst the people from all strata of society.Likewise the Chief Minister said that now in order to pay glorious tributes to the great martyrs and sons of the soil for their immense contribution in the Indian freedom struggle, the state government would soon start work for constructing a ‘Jang-e-Azaadi’ memorial on 25 acres of land at Kartarpur in district Jalandhar. Mr Badal said the work on this exemplary memorial to be erected at the cost of Rs 100 crore would be completed in two years after its commencement.The Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP government had been instrumental in giving due recognition and respect to Punjabi, our mother tongue. He said that in an unprecedented decision the state government has already ordered that all the official work of the government would be done in Punjabi. Exhorting the spiritual leaders across the state to play a proactive role in curbing the menace of drugs besides other social maladies in the state by making the people aware about them, the Chief Minister said that it was the need of the hour that the ‘Sant Samaj’ and the spiritual leaders should make all out efforts for preaching the tenets of Sikhism, which could play a pivotal role in curbing social evils that had plagued the society. Mr Badal also impressed upon the people to follow footsteps of our great Gurus who preached us to serve the mankind with utmost dedication and devotion. Lauding the role played by Head of Gurmat Ruhaani mission Charitable Trust Baba Lakhbir Singh in organizing such a massive congregation, former Union Minister and senior Akali leader Mr Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said that the trust had played vanguard role in preaching the tenets of Sikhism on one hand and undertaking several philanthropic tasks in the service of mankind on the other.