While paying rich tributes to Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh Guru, the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal, today announced setting up of a Trust named after Baba Banda Bahadur at Lohgarh to develop this area as a tourist destination, a magnificent memorial gate on the Kapal Mochan-Lohgarh road and Badkhalsa Yatri Niwas and Pir Budh Shah Memorial Park at Sadhaura.Speaking at the state-level function orgnanized to mark the closing ceremony of the 350th ‘‘Prakash Utsav’’ of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Jagadhari in Yamunanagar district today, the Chief Minister also announced that the road from Ladwa to Jhinwarhdi Gurudwara Sahib would be widened and named Guru Teg Bahadur Marg.He said Punjabi had been accorded the status of second language in the state, and in order to promote this language, the process to fill up 397 posts of TGT and 352 posts of PGT in Punjabi had already been initiated.In view of the closing ceremony of the 350th Prakash Utsav of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in Patna from December 22 to 25, 2017, in which the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, would also participate, special trains would be run fom Ambala and Sirsa to enable maximum number of people to participate in the function.
The state government has also prepared a scheme to provide financial assistance to the pilgrims intending to visit religious places such as Hajoor Sahib, Nankana Sahib, Patna Sahib and Hemkund Sahib. A similar scheme has also been prepared to faciilitate the pilgrims going on Sindhu Darshan and Kailash Mansarowar Yatra. As announced, a huge educational institution would be set up in the area after the name of a Sikh Guru.Manohar Lal said until 1998, many colleges of the state were affiliated with Panjab University. The university now again wants some more colleges affiliated with it. “We are considering the proposal, and, if it materializes, some colleges of this area would also be affiliated with Panjab University. One of the colleges would be named after the Sikh Guru,” he added.While paying rich tributes to Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Chief Minister said he had made the supreme sacrifice for the society and the nation. He urged the people to follow the path shown by him and serve the nation and the society.Recalling his long association with Haryana, Mr Manohar Lal said Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji spent his childhood at Lakhnaursahib in Ambala district and spent 52 days at Paonta Sahib.
Eight Sikh Gurus had also visited Kurukshetra, the sacred land of Gita, adding to the significance and attraction of the holy land.The Chief Minister said he had made several announcements at the programme organized on the occasion of the 350th ‘’Prakash Utsav’’ of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Karnal on February 12 this year, and all announcements had been implemented. Work has started on the construction of a magnificent gate on the Karnal-Kaithal road named after Guru Nanak Dev Ji and a girls college in Assandh has been named after Baba Fateh Singh. The VLDA College in Lakhnaur Sahib has been named after Mata Gujri.Work on modernization of Guru Gobind Singh Library in Ambala has been started at a cost of Rs 63 lakh. He assured all support and cooperation of the state government for the welfare of the community.Earlier speaking on the occasion, the BJP State President, Mr Subhash Barala, exhorted the people to further strengthen brotherhood in the state and the country, and follow the path shown by our great saints to promote the welfare of humanity.Mr Bakshish Singh Virk, Assandh MLA, thanked the Chief Minister for announcing various projects for the community. Others who spoke included SGPC Vice-President, Mr Baldev Singh Kayampur, Peer Sahib, Sikh historian Mr Harjinder Singh, Baba Tirloki Singh and Mehant Baba Karamjit Singh.