-Strong Objection Raised Over Haryana Government Referring to Baba Banda Singh Bahadar as "Veer Banda Bairagi" in Advertisement
AMRITSAR: Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, the Acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, offered tribute to the great Sikh general and martyr Baba Banda Singh Bahadar on his martyrdom day.
He stated that Baba Banda Singh Bahadar was the brave Sikh warrior who first uprooted the Mughal rule from Punjab. Under his leadership, and that of his fellow Sikh warriors including Baba Bandha Singh, Baba Baj Singh, Baba Aali Singh, Baba Maali Singh, Baba Fateh Singh and others, the Khalsa army defeated Wazir Khan’s forces at the historic battlefield of Chapparchiri, conquered Sirhind, and named the site of the martyrdom of the younger Sahibzadas as Sri Fatehgarh Sahib.
He further said that Baba Banda Singh Bahadar established the first Sikh rule and fought prolonged battles with the then Mughal regime at Gurdas Nangal. Eventually, he was arrested, tortured, and martyred in Delhi, but he never wavered. Even his four-year-old son Baba Ajay Singh was martyred in front of him, along with hundreds of Sikhs, but none of them renounced their faith or gave in to the enemy.
Jathedar Gargajj noted that their martyrdom paved the way for the eventual establishment of Sikh rule under Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Jathedar Gargajj expressed serious concern over recent attempts to distort Baba Banda Singh Bahadar’s Sikh identity by portraying him as "Veer Banda Bairagi."
He strongly objected to the advertisement published by the Haryana Government on his martyrdom day, which referred to him by this name, stating that it is an intentional attempt to blur Sikh history.
He emphasized that this is a grave insult to the Sikh community and the legacy of a great Sikh general and martyr, which has deeply hurt Sikh sentiments.
He directed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to intervene, and also appealed to the Sikhs of Haryana to engage with the government to ensure that they are properly educated on Baba Banda Singh Bahadar’s historical identity and legacy.
He said Baba Banda Singh Bahadar was the first Sikh emperor and a revered martyr, and no one has the right to distort his name. The name by which he is recorded in Sikh history should be universally acknowledged and promoted.
Jathedar Gargajj revealed that as soon as the controversial advertisement and social media posts by the Haryana’s Department of Information, Public Relations, Language and Culture, came to light, officials from Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht Sahib reached out to the concerned department and formally lodged their objection. Following this, the department did remove the objectionable posts from their social media platforms and replaced them with content using Baba Banda Singh Bahadar’s correct name. However, by then, the misleading advertisements had already appeared in newspapers and social media, he said.
He instructed the SGPC to coordinate further with the Haryana DIPR to ensure such mistakes are not repeated in the future by the government.