Navi Mumbai, March 1 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the central government is working with full commitment to uphold the honour and justice of the Sikh community.
Modi virtually addressed the 'Hind-Di-Chadar' commemoration event held in Kharghar here to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
"Our government is working with full commitment for honour and justice to the Sikh community," the Prime Minister said.
Due to this commitment, the Union government formed an SIT for the 1984 riots, he pointed out.
"Many cases related to the 1984 riots were closed. We reopened it, and the government also announced additional compensation to the riot-affected families. The National Commission for Minorities was given a more active role," Modi said.
When issues relating to the safety and security of Sikh families and sacred copies of the Guru Granth Sahib arose in Afghanistan, the government acted in a mission mode, he said.
"We are working in a mission mode. Our government safely brought back 'saroops' (Shri Guru Granth Sahib copies) from Afghanistan. We paved the way for offering citizenship to Sikhs and Hindus from Afghanistan. Through CAA, we offered relief to the persecuted Sikhs," the PM asserted.
Modi also said that rehabilitation packages were implemented for Sikh families from Jammu and Kashmir, while OCI and visa regulations were simplified and thousands of blacklisted names of Sikhs were removed.
Modi said that events like Hind-Di-Chadar ensure that history becomes "a path to the future" rather than mere memory.
"Standing with courage and truth is relevant today the way it was at the time of Guru Tegh Bahadur. When the new generation is connected with such values, then tradition does not remain just a memory but becomes a path to the future. This is the aim of this meeting. We do not only remember history, but bring it in our life," Modi said in his virtual address.
Bharat's history was replete with valour, coordination and cooperation, and the supreme sacrifice of the Gurus strengthened national unity, he said.
Every strata of society drew inspiration from them, which helped society remain firm on the path of truth and culture, the PM said.
"When the country needs social unity the most, this event offers us confidence that the blessings of our Gurus and seers are with us. This journey commenced last year from Nagpur, then it was organised in Nanded. Today, Navi Mumbai's journey has reached an important stage," the PM said.
This yatra of Guru Tegh Bahadur's valour and history is not restricted only to these three cities, but has reached out to many small cities and towns during this period, he added.
The Union government is observing events related to Guru Tegh Bahadur at the national level, he said.
Asserting that several steps had been taken for the welfare of the Sikh community, the PM cited the completion of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, creation of facilities for Hemkund Sahib Yatra, relief to Sikh organisations and institutions connected to gurdwaras in Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act matters as well as inclusion of Sikh history in the syllabus and cultural programmes.
"Respect for the Sikh community's faith and creating opportunities for its progress is the government's responsibility and an honour," the prime minister said.