NAGPUR: “When Aurangzeb ordered the forced conversion of Kashmiri Pandits, the victims turned to the ninth Sikh Guru as their only hope. Guru Tegh Bahadur later travelled to Delhi to defend their right to practice their religion. He was arrested, tortured, and executed in public for refusing to convert,” said Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis while addressing one of the largest religious congregations observed on the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib under the state government’s Hind-di-Chadar programme, held on December 7, 2025, in Nagpur.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the programme is aimed at paying tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur—revered as Hind-di-Chadar—for sacrificing his life to protect the faith and cultural rights of religious communities. He said this Shaheedi Samagam symbolised unity among Sikhs, Nanakpanthis and several other communities, including Sikhligar, Labana, Banjara, Mohyal, Sindhi, Valmiki and followers of the Varkari tradition Bhagat Namdeo.
Devendra Fadnavis recalled the message of ‘Ek Onkar’ given by Guru Nanak Dev Ji at a time when society was deeply divided by caste and social hierarchies. He said Guru Nanak’s teachings created a large community of followers across the country, whose ideals were carried forward by successive Gurus.
Mentioning how Aurangzeb had issued a fatwa stating no one would perform the last rites of the Guru, Devendra Fadnavis also spoke about Lakhi Shah Banjara—a trader, contractor, and devout follower of the Gurus, who performed the last rites of the Guru Teg Bahadur by secretly retrieving his body and cremating it by setting his house on fire. He said the legacy of sacrifice was later carried forward by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who dedicated his entire family for the protection of dharma.
The Chief Minister informed that the State Government is set to organize similar programmes across the state to ensure that the history and message of Guru Tegh Bahadur reaches every village and the younger generation. Large-scale commemorative events are also being organised in Nanded and Mumbai as part of the state-wide observance.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis further said that “We all know that when Guru Nanak Dev Ji gave us the idea of ‘Ek Onkar,’ our society was divided into castes… At that time, Guru Nanak Dev Ji spread a single idea to every corner of the country and told us what is one truth, what is ‘Ek Onkar’… We know that our country experienced a time when invaders came from different lands, attacking our religion, our ideas, our culture, our language, and, in a way, working to completely destroy our values, our culture, and our religion. The way our gurus acted as shields for our culture and our religion during such times, and the way they fostered unity by awakening society, uniting it, and bringing everyone together… is a testament to Indian history. Therefore, India will always bow its head to our ten gurus and will always draw inspiration from them.”
