Few months back, Sikhs celebrated the 300th anniversary of Khalsa Raj established by Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, a devout Sikh of Sri Guru Gobind Singh. It was celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm across the globe by Sikhs.
To cash in political mileage out of this religious event, Punjab Government also stepped in and announced Chappar Chiri will be developed into a historical site in the memory of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. Many welcomed it as a positive step as it would help in correct depiction of Sikh history.
But the inaugural ceremony of this memorial site has exposed the real motive behind this project. It revealed the true colors of ‘pseudo Akali’ Punjab Government which gave approval for the incorrect portrayal of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur as a Hindu Warrior.
Here are some shocking revelations that came up from a member of Young Sikh Leaders Organization who was at the inaugural function of this memorial site:
- Baba Banda Singh Bahadur has been shown wearing a helmet in memorial site at Chappar Chiri Memorial site. There is no turban on the head of this Sikh hero.
- The memorial site is supposedly for Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, but his name is nowhere to be seen. Instead the place has been named as Fateh Minar. (Minar or Minarets are distinctive architectural features of Islamic mosques).
- The overall architecture of the memorial site is more like a Hindu architecture – Big base, narrow top. Moreover there is no talk about the Khalsa Raj at the site.
- To add to the mockery, this Sikh historical site was inaugurated not by any prominent religious personality, but by a Hindu political leader and BJP Minister, Manoranjan Kalia. He insulted Baba Banda Singh Bahadur by addressing him as “Bairagi Bhanda Bhadur”.
