Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would personally extend an invitation to the President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and Vice President Dr. Hamid Ansari to attend the function for celebrating 350th foundation day of Sri Anandpur Sahib from June 17-19, 2015. A decision to this effect was taken in a high level review meeting held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister to finalize the arrangements for this mega event here at Punjab Bhawan, this morning. The Chief Minister apprised in the meeting that the Union Cabinet Ministers and the Chief Ministers of all the states of the country have already been send invitation through demi-official letters. He said that in line with the ideology of Sikhism regarding secularism and Unity in Diversity the leaders of all the religions were also been invited in this mega event. Mr. Badal said that highly revered religious leader of Tibetans Sri Dalai Lama, Shankracharya of Dwarka Peeth, Swami Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar besides the key leaders of Muslim and Christian community were also being invited for the function.
Approving the draft of invitation card prepared by Vice chancellor of Punjabi University Dr. Jaspal Singh, the Chief Minister said that the invitation must be printed in Punjabi, Hindi and English languages and it should have brief history of Sri Anandpur Sahib on it. He also gave nod for constituting a committee comprising Education Minister Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema, Vice Chancellor Dr. Jaspal Singh and eminent historians Prof. Kirpal Singh and Prof. Prithipal Singh Kapoor for finalizing the invitation card. Mr. Badal also asked the Principal Secretary Cultural Affairs to publish a booklet on foundation, history and importance of Sri Anandpur Sahib in due consultation with the eminent historians. He also announced to initiate a special project for compiling the entire history of Sri Anandpur Sahib and asked the Punjabi University to undertake this work.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister, during a telephonic conversation with Union Power Minister Mr. Piyush Goyal, asked him to include Sri Anandpur Sahib in the ambitious scheme of Government of India (GoI) to install LED Bulbs in 100 cities of the country. Mr. Goyal assured him that owing to its historic significance Sri Anandpur Sahib would be covered under this scheme as per which LED bulbs would be installed in all the street lights of the city. The Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioner Roopnagar to ensure that all the roads leading to and within Sri Anandpur Sahib were repaired at the earliest. He also asked the Principal Secretary Finance to issue Rs 2 crore for this purpose. Meanwhile, the President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Mr. Manjit Singh GK informed the Chief Minister that the work for painting the ‘city of bliss’ into white color would be initiated from today.
Prominent amongst others present in the meeting included Cabinet Ministers Mr. Sohan Singh Thandal and Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema, Lok Sabha MP Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Rajya Sabha Member Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Advisor to Chief Minister on National Affairs and Media Mr. Harcharan Bains, Deputy Speaker Punjab Vidhan Sabha Mr. Dinesh Babbu, State BJP President Mr. Kamal Sharma, Chief of Sant Samaj Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, President DSGMC Mr. Manjit Singh GK, General Secretary DSGMC Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Principal Secretary Cultural Affairs Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Director Local Bodies Mr. Priyank Bharti and Brig (Retd.) J.K. Gagneja besides eminent Sikh historians Prof. Kirpal Singh and Prof. Prithipal Singh Kapur.