Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday joined the sangat at Gurudwara Chevin Patshahi in Srinagar, where a kirtan darbar was organised by the state government to mark the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur.
Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal emphasised that the life and philosophy of Guru Teg Bahadur serve as a beacon of inspiration for humanity. He called upon the people to follow the Guru’s message of love, secularism, religious tolerance, freedom of faith, and peaceful co-existence.
Kejriwal stressed that the Guru’s sacrifice for protecting religious freedom set an example for the entire world. He said that the Guru had laid down his life in Delhi to protect human rights and religious freedom, “a sacrifice unmatched in history”.
Kejriwal highlighted that the Guru was a true symbol of unity and brotherhood, and his teachings continue to inspire millions, adding how the Guru defended the religious rights of Kashmiri Pandits when they sought his protection, even choosing martyrdom over bowing to tyranny.
CM Mann, in his address, spoke about the profound impact of the Guru’s sacrifice on India’s history. He paid tribute to Pandit Kirpa Ram, a Kashmiri Pandit who sought the Guru’s protection for his faith. Mann remarked that it was a matter of immense pride that Kashmiri Pandits would participate in the nagar kirtan being organised in Srinagar.
{{/usCountry}}CM Mann, in his address, spoke about the profound impact of the Guru’s sacrifice on India’s history. He paid tribute to Pandit Kirpa Ram, a Kashmiri Pandit who sought the Guru’s protection for his faith. Mann remarked that it was a matter of immense pride that Kashmiri Pandits would participate in the nagar kirtan being organised in Srinagar.
{{/usCountry}}He also noted that the Guru’s martyrdom led to the formation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, adding that the sacrifices of the Gurus have shaped the “spirit of resistance” in Punjabis, and that the spirit of sacrifice runs in the blood of Punjabis.