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Gurdwara Sis Ganj granthi opposes observing Sahibzadas martyrdom as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’
Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib managed by the DSGMC, has taken an exception over declaring the martyrdom day of Chhote Sahibzadas (two younger sons of the 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh) —Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh as “Veer Bal Diwas”.
As the Union Government is marking the martyrdom day of Chhote Sahibzadas (two younger sons of the 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh) —Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh — on December 26 as “Veer Bal Diwas” in collaboration with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) at Delhi on large scale, granthi of Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib managed by the DSGMC, took an exception over declaring the martyrdom day as “Veer Bal Diwas”.
During morning ceremonies, the granthi named Giani Avtar Singh was delivering katha (interpretation) of daily hukamnama at the martyrdom place of ninth Sikh Master Guru Teg Bahadar at Chandni Chowk in Delhi, when he dissented over the move of the centre in presence of devotees, despite the DSGMC is tirelessly working to make the plan of the Centre successful and fully cooperating it in organising the events in the national capital on Monday. The main event will be held at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium at Delhi and presided over by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The gathering is being organized by the DSGMC.
He said, “After long time, the government has remembered Sahibzade’s martyrdom day. However, naming this historic day as Veer Bal Diwas is wrong. They were not Bal, like 8th Guru Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib who got guruship at the age of 8. Sahibzade were the warriors of 7-year-old and 9-year-old. So, calling them ‘Bal Veer’ is not fair”.
Notably, the DSGMC chief Harmeet Singh Kalka and other office bearers along with former president Manjinder Singh Sirsa have been exhorting the community to mark the day as “Veer Bal Diwas”. Kalka also urged the Akal Takht, the Sikh highest temporal seat, to clear the air on this issue in the Sikhs, despite the Takht has already asked the Centre to change the name as per the Sikh traditions and sentiments. The acting jathedar of Takht Giani Harpreet Singh suggested “Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas” as its nomenclature. The SGPC also passed a resolution in support of the Akal Takht edict. Sharing the video clip of the katha which was aired live by PTC Simran channel, the SGPC hailed the stand of the Gurdwara Sis Ganj granthi.
BOX: SGPC, Dal Khalsa ask Sikhs not to follow the decision of Centre
In a statement, the SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, rejecting Veer Bal Diwas being observed by the Government of India, appealed to the sangat (community) to be aware of the government’s “conspiracy of undermining Sikh history”.
He said, “The Government of India is on the path of concocting Sikh history and it is unfortunate that the president of the DSGMC is supporting this”. He questioned that if the government really wants to pay homage and respect to Sahibzadas, then what is the problem in observing this day as Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas? He said that history is a witness that the martyrdom of Sahibzadas was important in uprooting the Mughals from this region, but the way the government is insisting on marking the martyrdom day of Sahibzadas as Veer Bal Diwas, it is clear that the “government is playing politics at the behest of anti-Sikh forces”.
Raising an objection over the term, the Dal Khalsa said the State has no right or locus standi to interfere or decide about religious affairs of Sikhs. In a statement, the organisation urged Akal Takht to take cognisance of the matter and summon those Sikhs, who under the influence or patronage of Modi dispensation were organising tomorrow’s function in Delhi and elsewhere under the nomenclature of ‘Veer Bal Divas’. Dal Khalsa leaders said despite objections by Akal Takht, SGPC and Sikh bodies, the Modi govt’s arbitrary decision to go ahead and observe December 26 as ‘Veer Bal Divas’ amounts to hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs beside re-establishing the State’s continuous policy in meddling in Sikh religious affairs’.
