Chandigarh, Nov 5 (IANS) Punjab BJP leader and party spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal has written a letter to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, urging the government to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur by renaming the historic Chandni Chowk area as ‘Sis Ganj’.

Also, he sought to dedicate nearby metro stations to the revered martyrs — Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dyal — who made the supreme sacrifice alongside Guru Teg Bahadur.

In his letter, Baliawal stated that on this sacred occasion of Guru Nanak Dev’s 556th birth anniversary, he was writing with deep reverence as both a Sikh and an Indian to recall the unparalleled sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadur — the Hind Di Chadar, who gave his life defending the right to religious freedom and protecting humanity’s conscience.

He wrote that during the Mughal rule under Aurangzeb in 1675, religious persecution was at its peak, temples were destroyed, scriptures were burnt, and innocent people were forced to convert.

Over 500 Kashmiri Pandits, led by Pandit Kirpa Ram, approached Guru Teg Bahadur at Sri Anandpur Sahib, seeking protection for their faith. Guru Sahib, moved by their suffering, chose to make the ultimate sacrifice to uphold truth and the principle of ‘Sarbat da Bhala’.

Guru Teg Bahadur, along with his companions, Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dyal, were taken to Delhi, where they faced inhuman torture. Bhai Mati Das was sawn alive, Bhai Sati Das was wrapped in cotton and burnt, and Bhai Dyal was boiled.

At last, Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded at the site where Gurdwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib stands today, a place that continues to symbolise courage, sacrifice, and the defence of religious liberty.

BJP leader Baliawal urged that renaming Chandni Chowk as ‘Sis Ganj’ and dedicating nearby metro stations to these martyrs would be far more than an administrative decision; it would be a historic tribute to India’s values of tolerance, bravery, and freedom of faith.

He wrote, “Every person passing through this sacred place would be reminded that this is the land where a head was offered for truth, but the truth itself was never compromised.”

Baliawal added that such a decision under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s leadership would fill crores of Sikhs and Indians across the world with pride and reverence, sending a strong message of unity and interfaith respect.

He urged the CM to consider the proposal with sensitivity and seriousness.

“Renaming Chandni Chowk as Sis Ganj would immortalise the spirit of Guru Teg Bahadur-ji’s martyrdom and remind generations to come that India stands strong because of those who chose sacrifice over silence,” Baliawal concluded.

–IANS

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