Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday said a number of activities will be organised to mark the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru.
Chairing a meeting of a high-level committee to commemorate the anniversary through year-long events, he said these activities should be such that not only the life and teachings of Guru Tegh Bahadur but also of the entire Guru tradition is propagated the world over.
Hailing the social service rendered by the Sikh community and gurudwaras all over the world, Modi said proper research and documentation on this aspect of the Sikh tradition should be done.
The Sikh Guru tradition is a complete life philosophy in itself, he said, adding it is a privilege and good fortune of his government that it has got the opportunity to celebrate the 550th Prakash Purab (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev, the 400th Prakash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur and the 350th Prakash Purab of Guru Gobind Singh.
The occasion of the 400th Prakash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur is a spiritual privilege as well as a national duty, Modi said, sharing some of the guru's teachings.
He highlighted that it is important to make the younger generation understand these lessons, and also noted that through digital means, it is easier to reach out to the new generation world over to spread the message.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot were among those who attended the meeting.
The committee was constituted by the Union government on October 24 last year to approve policies, plans and programmes related to the commemoration of the 400th birth anniversary of the Sikh guru along with supervision of the events.
It has 70 members with the prime minister as the chairman.
