According to officials, Red Fort was selected as the venue for the celebration since it was here that Mughal ruler Aurangzeb had given orders for the execution of Guru Teg Bahadur.
New Delhi: Addressing the nation from the Red Fort to mark the 400st Prakash Purab or the birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he is happy that the country is moving on the path shown by the gurus.
“I am happy that today our country is moving forward with full devotion on the ideals of our Gurus. On this virtuous occasion, I bow at the feet of all ten gurus. Hearty congratulations to all of you, to all the countrymen and to all the people who have faith in Guruvani all over the world, on the occasion of Prakash Parv,” said Modi.
He added, “When Guru Tegh Bahadur was born, it was said that this child will eliminate the sorrow of the marginalised. Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, which is close to the Red Fort, is a symbol of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s sacrifice.”
He also said efforts are being made to connect all the pilgrimages of Sikh tradition. Seen as a major reach out to the community, Modi became the first Prime Minister to address the nation from the Red Fort after sundown. However, this time, he made his speech from the lawn and not the ramparts of the fort.
According to officials, Red Fort was selected as the venue for the celebration since it was here that Mughal ruler Aurangzeb had given orders for the execution of Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, in 1675.
After the Shabad Kirtan, Modi also released a postal stamp and a commemorative coin on Guru Tegh Bahadur. Modi’s address marked the culmination of the two-day event organised by the Union Culture ministry at Red Fort, in collaboration with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.
Modi’s address comes in the backdrop of the BJP’s consistent attempts to reach out to the Sikh community after the National Democratic Alliance’s split with the Akalis and the subsequent poll debacle in the recently-concluded Punjab Assembly election.
