New Delhi, October 10: The National Implementation Committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the commemoration of the centenary of Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak met on Tuesday.
Later, Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary would be commemorated by the government next year with events across the globe.
The meeting was presided over by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is the convener of the committee. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is a member, attended the meeting.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, state BJP president and MP Shwait Malik and former MP and vice-chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities Tarlochan Singh also attended the meeting.
Sharma said the government had already decided to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak as the “Universal Brotherhood Year” and the Indian Council of Cultural Relation would hold special functions world-wide through the Indian mission.
With regard to centenary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Sharma said the Centre would provide the required funds. Badal, Malik and Tarlochan have been recently appointed trustees of the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, which is headed by the PM.
The committee was informed about Punjab Government’s proposal to the Centre with regard to projects and celebratory activities worth Rs 2,145 crore with regard to the 550th birth anniversary celebrations.
Badal stressed that the focus of the proposed celebrations should be on developing Sultanpur Lodhi from where the Guru started his spiritual odyssey.
Malik said the Guru’s message of brotherhood should be spread across the world. He also suggested modernisation of the Jallianwala Bagh site. Badal and Malik suggested that in case the passage to Kartarpur Sahib does not materialise, high-definition digital telescope/binoculars be installed towards the Indian side for a better view of the shrine.
Tarlochan Singh suggested that the memory of the Guru should be perpetuated through some mechanism, including an institution, as was done by instituting Guru Nanak Dev University during the Guru’s 500th birth anniversary celebrations. He also suggested that the UNESCO be approached to print Guru’s teachings.
Source Tribune India
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