Special Vidhan Sabha Session: Punjab paves way to declare Amritsar walled city, Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo as holy cities

Moving the resolution, Mann said an interfaith committee related to all religious institutions in these holy cities will be formed. The Punjab government will make dedicated efforts for the development, cleanliness, security and promotion of religious tourism in these holy cities.”For this, the state government will allocate necessary budget, and also seek funds from the central government as this is imperative to spread the legacy of these places for our coming generations,” he said.

Speaking to media later, Mann said of the five ‘Takhts’, three are in Punjab — Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Amritsar), Sri Damdama Sahib (Talwandi Sabo) and Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib (Sri Anandpur Sahib).

“People have been demanding holy city status for these places for decades. These places are not just religious centres but also symbols of our civilisational heritage. Declaring them holy cities was not just a demand by a single political party, community or religion, rather, it was an essential step toward the preservation and global promotion of our cultural heritage,” Mann said.

Apart from holistic development of these cities, the state government will also help accelerate religious tourism there, he added.

Earlier, Mann moved the resolution in the House after another resolution on the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur was passed. Apart from Talwandi Sabo and Anandpur Sahib, the initial resolution sought to declare ‘galiara’ at the Golden temple as holy city. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, however, posted a clarification on X. “In the Holy City Resolution, the correct reference is to the Walled City of Sri Amritsar, Talwandi Sabo, and Sri Anandpur Sahib not the Galiara of Sri Darbar Sahib, Sri Amritsar. The Vidhan Sabha record stands corrected accordingly,” Sandhwan said.

Taking part in the discussions on the resolution, Congress member Pargat Singh said that the galiara around Golden Temple already was free of meat, alcohol and tobacco shops. He asked whether the resolution aimed to declare the entire city of Amritsar as a holy city. To this, Mann said the absence of meat, alcohol and tobacco shops in the ‘galiara’ was voluntary till now and with the government decision it will be an official measure. He also said that the government will rehabilitate shopkeepers who were engaged in the trades, which would henceforth not be allowed in these places.

Earlier, the House passed another resolution to draw inspiration from Guru Tegh Bahadur’s life and teachings to work towards the welfare and prosperity of the people of Punjab, promoting peace, tolerance and harmony in society.

The resolution moved by Education Minister and Anandpur Sahib MLA Harjot Singh Bains said that the House resolves to continue promoting values of secularism, universal brotherhood and human rights, as exemplified by Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Speaking on the resolution, Cabinet minister Aman Arora noted that the sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur was a supreme act for unity, bridging all religions and faiths. He said that at a time when “attempts” are being made across the country to “divide” society in the name of caste, religion and communalism — as was “witnessed in the tragedies of Manipur and Haryana”, three crore people of Punjab must send a message of harmony, secularism, and peace to the 150 crore people of India.

“From this holy land, we reject ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and ‘Khalistan’, instead we chant ‘Jug Jug Jive Mera Hindustan’ (long live my India), affirming our commitment to a united India, just as Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji envisioned and sacrificed his life for the nation’s unity. This session is a homage to that spirit of unity,” he said.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reflected on the unique lineage of sacrifice within the Sikh history, recalling the martyrdom of four generations starting from Guru Arjan Dev, followed by Guru Tegh Bahadur, Guru Gobind Singh, Mata Gujri, and the four Sahibzade (sons of Guru Gobind Singh).

Hailing the ninth Sikh Guru’s supreme sacrifice, BSP MLA Nachhatar Pal demanded that Rupnagar district be named after Guru Tegh Bahadur or be changed to Anandpur Sahib.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said the supreme sacrifice Guru Tegh Bahadur is a moving testament to his unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom of religion and human dignity.