New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reminded the nation of the forced conversion by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb while paying rich tributes to the Veer Sahibzadas, Sikh Gurus and Mata Gurjari at a program marking ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ here.
“I consider it to be the good fortune of our government that we got the opportunity to declare 26th December as Veer Bal Diwas,” he said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the thousand-year-old history of the world is filled with chapters of gruesome cruelty.
“On one hand there was the mighty Mughal Sultanate blinded by religious fanaticism, while on the other hand there were our Gurus gleaming in the knowledge and living by the ancient principles of India. On one hand there were heights of terror and religious fanaticism, while on the other hand, there was the pinnacle of spirituality and kindness to see God in every human being,” he said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of determination and bravery of Veer Sahibzade as they showed the tyranny of Aurangzeb and his people that the young generation was not ready to buckle under the cruelty and stood firm to protect the morale of the country.
“The Mughals possessed an army of millions, while the Veer Sahebzades of Guru had their courage. They did not bow down to the Mughals even though they were alone. This is when the Mughals walled them alive. It is their bravery that has been a source of inspiration for centuries,” the Prime Minister said.
Modi said any country with such a glorious history must be full of self-confidence and self-respect, however, he lamented, concocted narratives were taught which created a sense of inferiority in the country.
He said with assurance that the new India is correcting the mistakes of the bygone decades by restoring its long-lost legacy.
Adding that any country is identified by its principles, the Prime Minister highlighted that when the core values of a nation go through a transformation, the future of the nation changes with time.
He emphasised that the values of a nation can be preserved only when the present generations have clarity about the history of the land.
On January 9, 2022, the day of the Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh, Modi had announced that 26th December would be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’, to mark the martyrdom of sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh – Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji.
Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, and Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Meenakshi Lekhi were those present on the occasion among others.
