India needs to break free from narrow perspectives to take the country to new heights of success, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday as he led tributes to the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, who were bricked alive at the ages of nine and six in the year 1705.
Addressing a ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ event at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in the national capital, Modi said that in the name of history, people were being taught versions that promoted an inferiority complex among them. “Any country with such a glorious history must be full of self-confidence and self-respect. However, concocted narratives are taught to infuse inferiority. If we want to take India to newer heights of success, then we have to become free from the narrow perspectives of the past,” he said.
On the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary on January 9 this year, Modi had announced that December 26 will be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ to commemorate the martyrdom of his sons Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh.
Also read: PM Modi takes part in program marking 'Veer Bal Diwas' | Video
{{/usCountry}}Also read: PM Modi takes part in program marking 'Veer Bal Diwas' | Video
{{/usCountry}}Modi hailed Guru Gobind Singh and his sons, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, who laid down their lives while defending their faith.
“On the one hand there was terrorism, and on the other, spiritualism. On the one hand there was communal violence, and on the other, there was liberalism. On the one hand there were forces of lakhs while on the other, there were just the veer sahibzaade who did not budge at all,” he said, referring to the sons of the Guru.
“Guru Gobind Singh stood like a mountain, staunchly against Aurangzeb’s terrorism and his attempts to change India. Why were the sons of Guru Gobind, Zorawar Sahib and Fateh Sahib, bricked alive? It was because Aurangzeb and his people wanted to convert them forcibly with the threat of a sword. The generation that submits to tyranny, their self-belief, and their future die with them. However, those brave young men were not afraid of death,” Modi added.
The Prime Minister said the “world’s history is filled with instances of atrocities”. He said that what happened in the battles of Chamkaur (in 1702 between the Sikhs and Mughals) and Sirhind (in 1705between Sikhsand Mughals) can never be forgotten.
“Three centuries ago, the Chamkaur and Sirhind wars were fought. On one side was the Mughal Sultanate, blind to communal extremism, and on the other, there were our Gurus,” he said.
“There were heights of terror and religious fanaticism on one hand and on the other, there was the pinnacle of spirituality and kindness to see God in every human being,” Modi said, adding that while the Mughals were backed by an army of millions the veer sahibzaade of the Guru had their courage.
Modi said those sacrifices would continue to inspire generations.
“New India is rectifying decades-old mistakes by encouraging the youth to take inspiration from history and work collectively towards the development of the country,” he said.
“The youth always seek a role model to learn from and find inspiration. That’s the reason we believe in the ideals of Lord Ram, find inspiration from Gautam Buddha and Lord Mahavir, and make an attempt to live through the sayings of Guru Nanak Dev while also studying the ways of Maharana Pratap and Chhatrapati Veer Shivaji,” he added.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, his Maharashtra counterpart Eknath Shinde, and Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Arjun Ram Meghwal were also present at the event.
Meanwhile, Union home minister Amit Shah paid tributes to Guru Gobind Singh, his two sons and wife Mata Gujri on the occasion.
In a tweet in Hindi, Shah said Guru Gobind Singh’s sons bravely faced enemies at a young age to protect the motherland and religion. Their bravery is the country’s heritage, he said.
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Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath paid obeisance to Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh by carrying the Sikh holy book on his head at a programme at his official residence in Lucknow.
“Millions of salutes to the sacrifice of the Sahibzadas of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj on ‘Veer Bal Divas’! The holy sacrifice of Sahibzadas will inspire all of us to protect the nation and religion for ages,” he tweeted.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar paid tributes during the three-day winter session of the state assembly. “It’s a proud day for all of us. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to celebrate today as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ as a mark of respect for the sacrifice of the sahibzaadas of Guru Gobind Singh. Both the younger sahibzaadas sacrificed their lives for the sake of our country and religion,” he said.
To mark the occasion, the Centre is holding various programmes across the country and also conducting essay writing and quiz competitions in educational institutes.
Digital exhibitions will be set up at railway stations, petrol pumps, airports, etc. All over the country, dignitaries will narrate the life story of the sahibzaadas at various programmes.