Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today impressed upon millions of devotees, who have converged here on the sacred 350th Parkash Utsav of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, to follow the philosophy and teachings of great Sikh Guru to carve out an egalitarian society irrespective of parochial considerations of caste, color and creed. Addressing the mammoth gathering during a religious congregation here today, the Chief Minister in the presence of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and his Bihar counterpart Mr. Nitish Kumar, said that Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji was a true votary of socialism, human rights and religious freedom. He said that Guru Ji vehemently espoused the cause of respect for all religions and gave message to humanity against forcible religious conversions by urging his father the ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib to sacrifice at the altar of righteousness (Dharma) and justice. He said that to fight against this oppression zealously, the tenth Sikh Guru created Khalsa panth to empower the poor and underprivileged people to fight against injustice and tyranny unleashed by the mighty Mughals. Recalling the supreme message of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji to abrogate discrimination on the basis of caste, colour and creed, the Chief Minister said that Guru ji preached oneness of mankind by directing the Khalsa to partake Amrit from a single bowl.
He said Guru ji always preached the lesson of oneness of God and love for humanity. Mr. Badal urged the people to tread on the path shown by the great Guru, for the overall well being (Chardi kala) of the mankind. The Chief Minister said that the unprecedented sacrifice made by the tenth master of Sikhs would go a long way in annals of World history for galvanizing the hapless people to fight against tyranny, oppression and injustice unleashed by the mighty Mughals. Mr. Badal said, “Every moment of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji’s life is a lighthouse for us, who made unparalleled contribution for upholding the age old traditions of secularism besides safeguarding the human rights and ensuring religious freedom thereby sacrificing everything including even his own family”.The Chief Minister said that they were fortunate to commemorate this momentous event during their lifetime with full religious fervor and gaiety, which was a humble effort to further strengthen the ethos of peace, communal harmony, brotherhood and amity across the length and breadth of the country. He said that the 350th Parkash Utsav of the tenth Master of Divine Light, was being observed with great religious enthusiasm, devotion and dedication all over the world.
The Chief Minister highly complemented Mr. Nitish Kumar for personally monitoring meticulous arrangements at a mass scale during the commemoration of 350th Parkash Utsav of Guru Ji in Patna Sahib, the birth place of great Guru, which was the star attraction for all the people of different faiths especially the Sikhs. He also said that the entire Sikh community in every nook and corner of the world would ever be indebted to the magnanimity, generosity and vision of Mr. Nitish Kumar in commemorating this momentous occasion in an unsurpassed manner. Later, the Prime Minister accompanied by Mr. Badal and other dignitaries released a commemorative postage stamp on this sacred occasion.arlier, the Chief Minister accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Food Processing Minister Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Cabinet Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia paid obeisance at Takht Sri Harminder Ji Patna Sahib where they were offered robe of honour (Siropas).Prominent amongst other present on the occasion Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Food Processing Minister Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Cabinet Ministers Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema and Jathedar Tota Singh, Lok Sabha MP Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Rajya Sabha MP Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Principal Secretary Tourism Mr. Hussan Lal, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema and Principal Secretary General Administration Mr. KAP Sinha.