The Hindu : National : Badal seeks Manmohan’s intervention

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Monday, Jun 25, 2007
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National

Badal seeks Manmohan’s intervention

Sarabjit Pandher

CHANDIGARH:

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to approach the U.N. and get the tercentennial celebrations of the installation of the Holy Guru Granth Sahib as the perpetual “Guru,” beginning July 2008, declared as the ‘International Day of Commitment to Secularism.’

Through a statement issued here on Sunday, Mr. Badal asked the Centre to effectively use the occasion as a befitting tool to emphasise the relevance of India’s cosmopolitan approach to the solution of global issues.

Mr. Badal said that the historic event would be observed in accordance with its significance on national and international calendars.

He said that the relevance of the message of Guru Granth Sahib needed to be emphasised as part of a national movement on secular, egalitarian, patriotic and cross-cultural ideals.

Earlier, while participating in the first meeting of the National Committee for Commemoration of Tercentenary celebrations of Guru-ta-gaddi Diwas held under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, at New Delhi, Mr. Badal sought a special session of Parliament to invoke the message of the Guru Granth Sahib. Suggesting a comprehensive programme for celebrating the event, Mr. Badal said that an all-religion function should be organised at Takhat Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, where Guru Gobind Singh compiled the scriptures and gave it its final shape. He suggested that the President, Prime Minister, leaders of political and social organisations and heads of various religious sects take part in this function.

Mr. Badal stressed for a programme of developing Talwandi Sabo, situated in Bathinda district along with Nanded in Maharashtra.

He recalled that from Damdama Sahib, the Guru travelled to Nanded, which is among the five temporal seats of the Sikhs, from where he ordained the community with his edict, Sab Sikhan ko hukam hai Guru manyo Granth (All Sikhs are he reby directed to pledge their belief in the Granth which shall be the Guru here onwards).

At Nanded, Guru Gobind Singh told his followers that there would be no living Guru and scriptures should be accepted as the spiritual guide.

Mr. Badal stressed that the route of the journey undertaken by Guru Gobind Singh from Takhat Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo to Takhat Hazoor Sahib in Nanded, passing through various states be rechristened ‘Sri Guru Gobind Singh Marg’. Besides, this road should have milestones carved in the traditional style of Sikh architecture with Gurbani inscriptions taken appropriately from Guru Granth Sahib, he added.

Mr. Badal urged the Centre to start a train connecting the four Takhats at Patna, Nanded, Talwandi Sabo and Anandpur Sahib with the Akal Takhat in Amritsar.

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