Guru Tegh Bahadur saved dharma, sacrificed his life to protect faith of religious communities: Fadnavis

During his speech, Fadnavis recalled the message of ‘Ek Onkar’ given by Guru Nanak Dev Ji at a time when society was deeply divided by caste and social hierarchies. He said Guru Nanak’s teachings created a large community of followers across the country, whose ideals were carried forward by successive Gurus.

The CM also spoke about the period of foreign invasions and the role of the Sikh Gurus in protecting India’s religious and cultural identity through social reform, collective worship and the tradition of langar, which promoted equality.

Referring to the historical background of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom, Fadnavis said, “When Aurangzeb ordered the forced conversion of Kashmiri Pandits, the victims turned to the ninth Sikh Guru as their only hope. Guru Tegh Bahadur later travelled to Delhi to defend their right to practice their religion. He was arrested, tortured and executed in public for refusing to convert.” He noted that Guru Tegh Bahadur’s sacrifice ensured the survival of India’s diverse religious traditions and values.

Mentioning how Aurangzeb had issued a fatwa stating no one would perform the last rites of the Guru, Fadnavis also spoke about Lakhi Shah Banjara—a 17th-century Sikh trader, contractor, and devout follower of the Sikh Gurus, who performed the last rites of the Guru Teg Bahadur by secretly retrieving his body and cremating it by setting his house on fire. He said the legacy of sacrifice was later carried forward by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who dedicated his entire family for the protection of dharma.

The Chief Minister informed that the state government is set to organize similar programmes across the state to ensure that the history and message of Guru Tegh Bahadur reaches every village and the younger generation. Large-scale commemorative events are also being organised in Nanded and Mumbai as part of the state-wide observance.