Amritsar, Dec 25: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Sunday asked the Sikh community to observe the martyrdom day of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh as 'Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas' instead of 'Veer Bal Diwas.'

"Observing the martyrdom day of 'Sahibzadas' as Veer Bal Diwas by the government of India is a mischievous conspiracy to undermine the greatest martyrdom ... in the world's religious history," Dhami said. Defence Ministry of India Clears 120 'Pralay Ballistic Missiles' for Armed Forces, To Be Deployed Along China, Pakistan Border.

"If the government really wants to pay homage to Sahibzadas, then what is the problem in observing this day as 'Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas,'" he asked. He said that it's a historic fact that sacrifice of Guru Gobind Singh's two sons was important in uprooting the Mughals from north.  Rajasthan Teacher Recruitment Exam Paper Leak Case: More Than 50 People Arrested So Far; Prime Accused Absconding.

But, Dhami said, the way the government is insisting on marking the day as Veer Bal Diwas, it is clear that it is "playing politics at the behest of anti-Sikh forces." Modi had in January this year announced that December 26 will be observed as 'Veer Bal Diwas' to mark the martyrdom of the tenth Sikh guru's two sons – Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh.

The SGPC too had earlier objected to the name of the day and asked the government to change it to 'Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas.'

Dhami said that on the order of the Akal Takht, a committee of Sikh scholars had suggested the name 'Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas.'

He said the SGPC had sent a letter in this matter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of Culture. "But still the government did not change the name."

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)