Terming the tradition and culture were the biggest asset of any nation, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that those nations who tend to forget their cultural past and heritage were bound to be vanished with the passage of time.Addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone for constructing a memorial to eulogize the supreme martyrdom of great Sikh martyr Baba Jai Singh Khalkat at his native village here today, the Chief Minister said that it was bounden duty of the state government to preserve our rich cultural heritage for the future generations till eternity. He said that it was often said that Punjabis were known for creating history but they could not preserve it. Mr. Badal said that it goes to credit of SAD-BJP alliance government that for the first time in history of state concerted efforts have been made to conserve the glorious cultural heritage of the state.The Chief Minister said that it goes to the credit of SAD-BJP government, which undertook momentous task to preserve the glorious cultural legacy of Punjab through state-of-the-art memorials and monuments viz. Virasat-E-Khalsa, Chotta and Wada Ghallughara, Baba Banda Singh War Memorial, State War Heroes Memorial & Museum and Jang-E-Azadi Memorial.
Apart from these, Baba Jeevan Singh (Bhai Jaita Ji) at Sri Anandpur Sahib, Guru Ravidass Ji Memorial at Khuralgarh and Baba Moti Ram Mehra at Fatehgarh Sahib would soon be dedicated to the mankind. Strenuous efforts of the state government in this regard, were aimed at perpetuating the glorious and rich legacy of our great culture especially amongst the younger generations so as to enable them to connect with their roots.The Chief Minister said that this historic monument, to be constructed over four acres of land, in the memory of legendary Sikh martyr Baba Jai Singh Khalkat would keep our younger generations abreast with the unprecedented sacrifices in the Sikh history.It may be recalled that Baba Jai Singh Khalkat’s entire family including his wife Sardarni Dhan Kaur, two sons Karraka Singh and Kharrak Singh and his younger daughter-in-law Amar Kaur were martyred and Baba ji was skinned alive after being hung upside down from the tree and latter set on fire as ordered by the then tyrannical Mughal regime in 1753. Somehow, the pregnant wife of Baba ji's son Karraka Singh managed to escape to Ambala and gave birth to a boy that carries on the family of Baja Jai Singh.The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Joint Special Principal Secretary Mr. Kumar Amit.