Sikh gurus sacrificed for saffron flag: Yogi at Ram temple

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that the Sikh gurus and their generations had sacrificed their lives for the saffron flag, which was hoisted atop the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple this morning.

“After the completion of the construction work at the grand temple of Lord Ram at Ram Janmabhoomi (in Ayodhya), today, the saffron flag of India’s ‘sanatan’ was hoisted on the top of the Ram temple. This is the saffron flag hoisted on the peak of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, for which the Sikh gurus and their generations had sacrificed their lives,” Adityanath said.

Adityanath was addressing a gathering in Lucknow to mark the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru.

Between 1510 and 1515, the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj, went to visit the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya Dham, and in 1528, the temple was demolished by a soldier of a foreign invader, Babar.

“At that time, seeing the atrocities of Babar, Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj had called Babar a ‘jawar’ and strongly opposed his actions,” Adityanath said.

He further said that whenever there was a struggle for the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, the Sikh Gurus, Sikh warriors, Nihangs, saints, kings, common citizens, mothers and sisters never hesitated in sacrificing themselves.

Referring to faith, Adityanath said, “One thing we all must remember about Ayodhya. Empires have come and gone. Generations came and went. But the only thing that remained constant was faith. And that faith has once again become a witness to this great ‘yagya’ of completing the construction of the grand temple of Lord Ram at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya after 500 years, and the same faith is visible here today as well.”

Adityanath’s remarks came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the “wounds and pain” of centuries are healing as a 500-year-old resolve is finally being fulfilled with the formal completion of the Ram temple here.

Modi made the remarks after ceremonially hoisting a saffron flag atop the Ram temple, an event marking the official completion of the shrine.

He was joined by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.