To give due recognition to Sikhs in India’s freedom struggle, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) would bring out anthology of all the freedom fighters from Punjab with their brief profiles.
Announcing this on Sunday at a seminar on the 'Role of the Sikhs in Freedom Struggle’, SGPC chief Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar said this anthology will have special reference to neglect of freedom fighters in the narrative of Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar Islands which was notoriously known as the Kala Pani.
Advertisement
He said Sikhs have not been given due place in the freedom struggle by the successive governments and historians by ignoring or distorting their contribution.
Prof Badungar said a committee would visit the Cellular Jail to rectify the distortions. He said a panel would be formed by the SGPC to rewrite history of Punjab.
Rejecting 1857 mutiny as the first freedom struggle of the country, the SGPC chief said Bhai Maharaj Singh was the first freedom fighter of the country as he started his struggle in 1849.
He said the contribution of the Sikhs starting from the time of Guru Nanak against the rulers was unparalleled and unprecedented. He regretted that the same had not been paid due attention.
The 10th Lord, Guru Gobind Singh, was the supreme example of extreme sacrifice. Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life for maintaining diverse character of the society.
Prof Badungar said a SGPC delegation would also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand space to the Sikhs proportionate to their struggle for the country.
