Rename Veer Bal Diwas to Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas: Punjab AAP leader to Modi

Chandigarh, Dec 9 (PTI) Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the renaming of Veer Bal Diwas to Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas.

The demand aligns with the December 4 pronouncement by acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj.

Gargajj wrote a letter to the Sikh members of Parliament, urging them to ask the government to change the name of the December 26 martyrdom day of the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh from Veer Bal Diwas to Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Kang, in his letter, referred to the unyielding faith exemplified by 'Chhote Sahibzadas', Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh, who faced unimaginable tyranny in Sirhind, and etched their legacy in Sikh history.

"This renaming is not merely a linguistic shift but a vital step to commemorate the 'shaheedi' of the 'Sahibzadas' with the reverence it commands, untainted by secular interpretations that dilute its profound religious significance," Kang wrote.

He said that Veer Bal Diwas, being observed as such since 2022, has, despite good intentions, overlooked December's historic Sikh spiritual depth.

"Sikh institutions, including Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), have consistently advocated for this change through formal communications to the Prime Minister in 2023 and longstanding resolutions dating back to 1934," he wrote.

Kang said he will raise this issue resolutely during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

Ignoring these sentiments risks alienating a community whose contributions to India's freedom and unity are forged in blood and valour, "like the bricks entombing the young martyrs in Sirhind," he said.

"I stand in resolute solidarity with the Sikh Panth's collective conscience, urging the union government to act forthwith. Let this be a testament to our shared commitment to cultural sensitivity and historical justice," Kang added. PTI CHS VN VN