Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday called upon the people to follow the teachings the legendary Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in the right earnest to give a befitting reply to tyranny, oppression and injustice unleashed by the brutal forces.
“This would be a real tribute to the iconic hero on his 300th martyrdom anniversary,” said Badal while addressing a gathering at a state-level event.
He said that Banda Bahadur’s rare sacrifice in the annals of Indian history laid the foundation of Indian freedom movement with establishing the first Sikh Raj way back in 1709.
“Above all, he was a true champion of oppressed sections of the society, especially the farmers upon whom he bestowed the ownership rights thereby abolishing the Zamindari system,” said Badal.
Seeking inspiration from Banda Bahadur’s great philosophy, Badal said that our Government has also taken several pro-poor and farmer-friendly initiatives to improve upon their lot in its own humble way.
lamenting that the Sikhs could only create history but unfortunately could not preserve their rich cultural heritage, Badal said that it was an established fact that those nations which tend to forget their history were either perished or decimated for times to come.
“Punjab is the only state which has not only preserved the legacy of Sikh panth but also other religions and communities besides showcasing immense contribution of several unsung heroes of national freedom struggle to demonstrate the real spirit of secularism and patriotism,” Badal told the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was chief guesrt on the occasion.
Highly appreciating the efforts of BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre, Badal thanked Rajnath Singh for constituting SIT to reopen cases of 1984 Sikh holocaust besides enhancing compensation to its victims from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs five lakh.
BUSES FOR YOUNGSTERS TO VISIT HISTORIC MEMORIAlS
Punjab Government may soon launch a scheme, on the pattern of ongoing Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme, to start buses for the state’s youth, especially from the villages, to witness historical monuments across the state.
Announcing this, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal said that the state government is fully aware of its responsibility to make the younger generation to comprehend glorious cultural and heritage of the state.
“Keeping in view, Punjab is contemplating to launch a scheme so that the youth from villages across the state could witness the historical monuments in the buses on the lines of 'Tirath Yatra Scheme,” he said.
Throwing light on Punjab Government’s initiatives, Sukhbir said that the Chief Minister Badal is paying special attention to the preservation of heritage of State and the Sikhs.
Taking to task those trying to defame Punjab by branding its entire youth as drug addicts, he said that anti-Punjab and anti-panthic people have evil designs on their mind as such unscrupulous elements want to disturb hard earned peace of the State.
He, however, reiterated that the Punjab Government would not allow the nefarious plans of such forces to succeed.