The Punjab government would send an invite to the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi to preside over a national seminar to be held at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital on the life, philosophy and teachings of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji as a part of year long celebrations for commemoration of his 350th Parkash Utsav across the country.This decision was taken by Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal during a meeting to review the arrangements for the commemoration of 350th Parkash Utsav of tenth master of Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji. The Chief Minister said that he would personally write a D.O. letter to Mr. Modi to seek his consent to preside over a national seminar at Vigyan Bhawan likely to be held between 15th to 30th November this as per his convenience. He also deputed the all MPs of SAD-BJP alliance along with the President and General Secretary of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee to personally call on the Prime Minister next week requesting him to preside over the mega event at New Delhi. The Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister’s participation in the seminar would further strengthen the ethos of peace, communal harmony, brotherhood and amity across the length and breadth of the country, for which Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji made unparalleled contribution for upholding the age old traditions of secularism besides safeguarding the human rights and ensuring religious independence thereby sacrificing everything including even his own family. He also constituted a sub-committee comprising MPs of SAD-BJP alliance along with the representatives from SGPC and DSGMC to give final touches to the celebrations during this gala event.
The Chief Minister also gave in-principle approval for the construction of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Bhawan having 100 rooms at Sri Patna Sahib at a cost of Rs.10 crore as a part of year-long 350th celebrations of Parkash Utsav of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji. He asked the Chief Secretary to immediately depute the State Chief Architect and team of engineers to be led by Chief Engineer PWD to work out the modalities for the construction of this Bhawan to provide boarding and lodging facilities to the devotees coming there to pay obeisance at Takhat Sri Patna Sahib.The Chief Minister also approved a sum of Rs.five lac each for eight seminars to be held in different universities/Institutions across the country to disseminate the great legacy of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji amongst the people especially our future generations and deputed Vice-Chancellor Punjabi University, Patiala Dr. Jaspal Singh to be the convener for organizing a series of these seminars.
The Vice-Chancellor apprised Mr. Badal that the a series of seminars would be organized on the life and philosophy of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji at International Centre of Suikh Studies, Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, New Delhi on September 16-17, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib on October 6-7, Panjab University, Chandigarh on October 13-14 at National Library, Kolkata on October 22-23, Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded (Maharashtra) on October 28, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar on November 2-3, 2016, Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Mumbai on November 16-17, 2016 and Punjabi University, Patiala on 30th November-December 1st , 2016.It was also informed in the meeting that Bihar Government was also organizing an International Sikh Conference from September 22-24, 2016 at Patna Sahib in connection with 350th Parkash Utsav of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji.
Mr. Badal agreed to participate in this conclave on September 24 which would also be attended by his Bihar counterpart Mr. Nitish Kumar. The state government had already forwarded a list of 69 eminent Sikh Scholars and academicians to the Bihar Government confirming their participation in the said conclave. The Chief Minister was also apprised that of Six Special Trains, two would run from Delhi and four from Amritsar under the auspices of DSGMC and SGPC respectively. A special bus carrying the relics of Guru Gobind Singh ji would ply from Sri Anandpur Sahib to Sri Patna Sahib thereby covering a distance of 1750 KMs in the form of journey/procession (Shashtar Yatra) within 12 days. The route would commence on 20th November, 2016 and culminate on 2nd December, 2016.Mr. Badal also asked the Chief Secretary to depute two officers at Patna Sahib exclusively to keep close liaison with Bihar administration for ensure perfect co-ordination and timely arrangements. He also asked both the President SGPC and DSGMC to depute one representative each to work with these Government officials being deputed for the said purpose.
Meanwhile, all the members in the meeting under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister adopted and passed a unanimous resolution hailing the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi for eulogizing the saga of sacrifice which has been the tradition of Sikh Gurus and felicitating the entire countrymen for celebrating 350th Birth Anniversary of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji besides recalling best thought expressed by Guru ji to highlight the significance of service by toiling hard during his speech on the 70th Independence Day from the Red Fort on August 15.In another resolution passed unanimously by the members of SAD-BJP, SGPC and DSGMC present in the meeting also thanked the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi for taking the much needed decision to prune 212 names from the 324 strong black list of the Union of India. The resolution said that this initiative on the part of GoI would be instrumental in assuaging the bruised feelings and tormented psyche of Sikh community and their families.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Union Minister for state of Social Justice and Empowerment and Punjab BJP President Mr. Vijay Sampla, Lok Sabha Member Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Member Rajya Sabha Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal and Mr. Sohan Singh Thandal (both Cabinet Ministers), Chairman Punjab Technical Education Board Mr. Sewa Singh Sekhwan, former State BJP President Mr. Kamal Sharma, Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Principal Secretary Tourism and Cultural Affairs Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minster Mr. K.J.S. Cheema, Secretary Information & Public Relations Mr. Rahul Tiwari, Special Secretary Finance Mr. Sukhwinder Singh, Director Tourism and Cultural Affairs Mr. Navjotpal Singh Randhawa, President SGPC Jathedar Avtar Singh, President DSGMC Mr. Manjit Singh GK, General Secretary DSGMC Mr. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Vice Chancellor Punjabi University Patiala Dr. Jaspal Singh and MD PHSC Mr. Husan Lal.