Sikh gurus sacrificed their lives for saffron flag hoisted atop Ram temple: Adityanath

Lucknow, Nov 25 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that the Sikh gurus sacrificed their lives for the saffron flag which was hoisted atop the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple this morning.

Adityanath was addressing a gathering in Lucknow to mark the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru.

"After the completion of the construction work at the grand temple of Lord Ram at Ram Janmabhoomi (in Ayodhya), today, the saffron flag of India's 'sanatan' was hoisted on the top of the Ram temple,” he said.

“This is the saffron flag hoisted atop Ram temple in Ayodhya, for which the Sikh gurus and their generations had sacrificed their lives," Adityanath added.

Between 1510 and 1515, the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev, went to visit the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya Dham, and in 1528, the temple was demolished by a soldier of a foreign invader, Babar, the CM said.

"At that time, seeing his atrocities, Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj had called Babar a ‘jabar’ (cruel) and strongly opposed his actions," Adityanath said.

He further said that whenever there was a struggle for the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, the Sikh Gurus, Sikh warriors, Nihangs, saints, kings, common citizens, mothers and sisters never hesitated in sacrificing themselves.

Referring to faith, Adityanath said, "One thing we all must remember about Ayodhya. Empires have come and gone. Generations came and went. But the only thing that remained constant was faith. And that faith has once again become a witness to this great 'yagya' of completing the construction of the grand temple of Lord Ram at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya after 500 years, and the same faith is visible here today as well." During Guru Tegh Bahadur's time, a cruel emperor like Aurangzeb was acting arbitrarily.

Aurangzeb led a campaign of religious conversions across the country. He committed atrocities across the country with the aim of abolishing the 'tilak' (sacred mark) and 'janeu' (sacred thread worn by Hindus), the CM said.

His atrocities reached their peak in Kashmir, where Aurangzeb's commander, Sher Afghan Khan, was committing atrocities. When the oppressed Kashmiri Pandit Kriparam could not find refuge anywhere, he pleaded with Guru Tegh Bahadur, Adityanath said.

The UP Chief Minister said that Guru Tegh Bahadur did not waver from his resolve despite all the tortures.

"When we remember those cruel moments of history, it seems that at that time the Guru tradition not only endured torture but also prepared itself to respond to torture and cruelty if required," he said.

Guru Gobind Singh lost his Guru and father at the age of only 9 years. His four Sahibzadas sacrificed their lives to protect Sanatan. Guru Gobind Singh Maharaj was the son of a martyred father and the father of martyred sons. Such examples are rarely seen in the world, he added.

Adityanath said that even after 350 years, every Sikh and Sanatani expresses their gratitude and faith to Guru Tegh Bahadur, Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das, and Bhai Dayala Das.

He said that no one can deny the truth. The four Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh did not receive the respect they deserved at that time and thereafter.

In 2020 and 2021, the state government organised a programme dedicated to the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s four Sahibzadas at the Chief Minister's residence. The Prime Minister marked December 26 as Veer Bal Diwas, bringing the memory of the four Sahibzadas to life.

Lucknow is fortunate to have been blessed with the presence of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Guru Tegh Bahadur visited the Yahiyaganj Gurdwara in Lucknow when he was a child. His memory is still visible in the gurdwara. The brilliance and spirituality here is one of the proudest moments of the Sikh tradition, he added.

The Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre are committed to contribute to strengthening these memories here.

"We should all have unwavering faith in our Guru tradition, great men, and the warriors who contributed to the country and religion. Our saffron flag always stands firm and inspires everyone. It provides a new energy to move forward," Adityanath said.

Adityanath's remarks came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the "wounds and pain" of centuries are healing as a 500-year-old resolve is finally being fulfilled with the formal completion of the Ram temple here.

PM Modi made the remarks after ceremonially hoisting a saffron flag atop the Ram temple, an event marking the official completion of the shrine.

He was joined by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and CM Adityanath. PTI NAV NB