Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha on Sunday attended the Nagar Kirtan, organised to commemorate 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. He paid obeisance at Gurdwara Sant Mela Singh Dastkari Ashram, Digiana, Jammu.
Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor recalled the life-long campaigns and supreme sacrifice made by Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the ninth Guru of Sikhism, to uphold the principles of moral values, righteousness, dignity, and religious freedom.
“Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was the embodiment of sacrifice and universal brotherhood and on this occasion, we must reaffirm to follow his ideals of peace and harmony,” the Lieutenant Governor said. The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji brought a new revolution to society, igniting a new ray of hope.
“Guru Ji's ideals are our holy pilgrimage. Guru Ji has awakened the spirit of selfless service and instilled a new willpower in the nation,” he said. The Lieutenant Governor observed that the sacrifices of great Sikh Gurus have ensured that India's culture and dignity remain uncompromising.
“Our revered Sikh Gurus ensured India's glory through significant contributions and selfless sacrifices. India still stands with full strength and pride despite centuries of external invasions and economic drain. We must stand firm in our determination to build a new India of our dreams,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor praised the dedication and professionalism of the J&K Police, stating that their swift action in unearthing and dismantling a pan-India terror module had saved countless lives by preventing a series of planned terror attacks across the country.
He also expressed profound grief over the unfortunate incident at Nowgam Police Station, where an accidental blast occurred during the sampling of explosive material recovered from the arrested terrorists. “Tragically, we lost brave J&K Police personnel and officials.
I express my heartfelt solidarity with the bereaved families. The process of sampling explosives was ongoing for the past two days. There is no angle of any terrorist conspiracy or external interference,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Shriman Mahant Manjit Singh; S. Ajit Singh, Chairman, All J&K Sikh Coordination Committee; members of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee; community leaders, heads of various religious organisations, and devotees in large number attended the Nagar Kirtan.
Dr. Narinder Singh Raina and Shri Vikram Randhawa, Members of Legislative Assembly; Shri Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Shri Bhim Singh Tuti, IGP Jammu; Shri Shiv Kumar Sharma, DIG Jammu-Samba-Kathua Range; senior officials of Police and Civil administration and prominent citizens were also present on the occasion.