PNS/
 
Dedicating the newly-renovated Guru Tegh Bahadur Museum to the masses, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday exhorted the people to uphold and emulate the high ideals of secularism and humanitarianism embodied by the ninth Sikh Guru.
 
The Chief Minister, addressing the gathering after inspecting the ongoing work at Panj Pyara Park, said that the ninth Sikh guru, who founded the holy town of Sri Anandpur Sahib, was the epitome of socialism and secularism as he sacrificed his life for the sake of preserving human rights in the country.
 
Mann urged the people to imbibe the spirit of self-sacrifice preached and practiced by ‘Hind Di Chaadar’, Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, who laid down his life to safeguard the freedom of worship, besides upholding the human and secular values. He said that the bani of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, which is included in Guru Granth Sahib, preaches the message of oneness of mankind, universal brotherhood, righteousness, valour and compassion, which need to be followed by one and all.
 
The Chief Minister said that the life and philosophy of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur is a lighthouse for the entire humanity adding that this Museum will help in perpetuating this glorious legacy on one hand and further cementing the ties between people on the other.
 
“It is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that this Museum has been rededicated to the people after equipping it with latest technology and Audio-Visual presentation of its content. Earlier, the museum showcased Guru Sahib’s life and teachings only through paintings displayed on its walls, devoid of any light effects and audio-visual presentation,” he said adding that the upgradation and renovation work of the Museum gathered pace during last year and had been completed now at a cost of nearly Rs two crore.
 
The Chief Minister said that the museum now portrays its content showcasing the teachings and the supreme sacrifice made by Guru Sahib for the protection of religion in chronological manner with the latest technology projection system using 2D motion and animation videos, synchronized lighting and running commentary.
 
“A mobile App has also been developed with which a visitor can watch and listen to the videos and commentary using his or her mobile phone,” he said.
 
Mann said that this renovated hi-tech museum, which has been dedicated to the public on the occasion of parkash purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur, will apprize the visitors and pilgrims about the history replete with sacrifices and motivate the youth for preservation of invaluable heritage.
 
Slamming the Akali leadership for ignoring the development of the sacred cities, the Chief Minister said that though the SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had always made tall claims but he had not done anything tangible for development of these cities. “Due to the misdeed of the Akali leadership, the people of the state had shown them the door by trouncing them badly…The Badals had given paramount importance to their own vested interests by ignoring the state and its people,” he said.
 
The Chief Minister also announced that he will close another toll plaza at Samana on Wednesday to stop the plunder of common man. He said that these toll plazas have been illegally looting the people in connivance with the previous governments. However, Mann said that when the common man has got the power this sheer loot of public money has been checked.
 
The Chief Minister further said that the state government has inherited a debt of Rs 9020 crore of Powercom from previous governments. “This bad debt is being repaid through installments worth Rs 1804 crore. The State Government has, so far, provided more than 28,000 jobs to the youth in the state,” he added.