False tales generated inferiority… must be liberated from this to advance: PM Modi during Veer Bal Diwas ceremony
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on the occasion of the first Veer Bal Diwas in the Nation’s Capital on Monday that the country’s education system has fostered a sense of inferiority. “Any nation with such a rich past must be brimming with self-assurance and self-respect,” he continued.
He emphasised the necessity be liberated from “the restricted perception of the past” in order to progress.
Tributes to the Sahibzades on Veer Baal Diwas. They epitomised courage, valour and sacrifice. https://t.co/PPBvJJnXzS
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 26, 2022
During the Azadi ka Amrit Kaal, the country has promised to eradicate all signs of “slave mentality,” he explained.
Modi stated that whenever faces of cruelty existed, they were overwhelmed by the personalities of heroes. “The Mughals possessed an army numbering in the millions, while the Veer Sahibzaade of Guru (the two slain children) were equipped with valour. They did not submit to the Mughals, although being alone. He told the crowd at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium that this was when the Mughals imprisoned them alive behind walls.
On the day of the Prakash Purab (birth anniversary) of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, January 9, this year, the Prime Minister stated that December 26 would be honoured annually as “Veer Bal Diwas” to commemorate the martyrdom of the 10th Guru’s young sons, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh.
“Vishwa ka hazaaron varshon ka itihaas kroorta ke ek se ek khaufnaak adhyaayon se bhara hai,” the prime minister added, referring to the events that led to the sacrifice of the young sons by the Mughals.
“But it is also true that what happened in Chamkaur and the battle of Sirhind was unprecedented,” he said, adding, “On the one hand was religious fundamentalism and the entire Mughal empire was blinded by fundamentalism, and on the other hand were our Gurus, brimming with the power of knowledge and penance, and India’s ancient value system)”.
“On the one hand, ultimate dread, and on the other, the summit of spirituality; on the one side, religious fervour, and on the other, the charity of recognising god in every person,” he said.
The Prime Minister stated that none of these events are thousands of years old, as to have been obscured by the passage of time, but occurred on this very land less than three centuries ago.
“Veer Bal Diwas will inform us of what India is and its identity, and each year it will motivate us to realise our past and shape our future. The day will also serve as a reminder of the strength of our youth, the Prime Minister remarked.
“Today is a day of new beginnings for the nation, as we all gather together to honour the sacrifices made in the past. “Shaheedi Saptah and Veer Bal Diwas are not only a melting pot of emotions, but also an inexhaustible source of inspiration,” he stated.
The day will serve as a reminder that age is irrelevant when it comes to extraordinary valour and sacrifice, according to Modi, who added that it will also serve as a reminder of the tremendous contribution of the 10 Sikh Gurus to defending the nation’s honour.
Union Ministers Hardeep Puri, Meenakshi Lekhi, and Arjun Meghwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee also attended the event organised by the Ministry of Culture.
Mann, recalling the solemn statewide custom of honouring shahidi week, stated, “Now is the moment to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice and to remind future generations that such sacrifices were made at the ages of nine and seven.”
He complimented the Prime Minister for booking two huge G-20 events in Amritsar, during which the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, and Wagah Border will exhibit the city’s history and traditions.
Shinde drew from the shared Sikh tradition of Punjab and Maharashtra. “Brave souls, saints, patriots, and revolutionaries were born on both states’ land,” he remarked, referencing Bhagat Singh, who was born in Punjab, and Rajguru, who was born in Maharashtra. “The samadhi of Guru Gobind Singh ji is in Nanded, Guru Nanak also visited Nanded, and the Maharashtrian saint Namdeo travelled to Punjab,” he explained.
During the two-hour session, a group of 300 Baal Kirtanis chanted a “Shabad Kirtan.” Later, the Prime Minister led 3,000 schoolchildren from the site to the Kartavya Path at India Gate in a march-past.
The Prime Minister also emphasised the significance of Veer Sahibzaade’s tenacity and bravery in exposing the tyranny of Aurangzeb, thereby demonstrating that the younger generation was not prepared to submit to cruelty. This, he stated, establishes the role of the younger generation in a nation’s fate. In addition, he mentioned the names of young, influential historical children, such as Bharat, Bhakt Prahlaad, Nachiketa, Dhruv, Luv-Kush, and Bal Krishna.
