Minister of State for Culture Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal in an event organised by National Monuments Authority(NMA) released ‘Banda Singh Bahadur Martyrdom Monument Poster’, ahead of his 306th Martyrdom Day on 9th June in New Delhi today. Chairman, National Monuments Authority, Shri Tarun Vijay also graced the occasion.
Addressing on the occasion, Minister of State for Culture Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal said that Banda Bahadur must have been very courageous that despite killing of his son by the administration of that time he kept his cool. He also added that his sacrifices to protect the religion must be seen with highest regard. Union Minister also added that demand of NMA for declaring Baba Banda Singh Bahadur’s martyrdom Monument in Mehrauli as National monument under ASI will be taken to the Prime minister and culture ministry will do everything possible to fulfil it.
NMA chairman Shri Tarun Vijay disclosed that he and Member Shri Hemraj Kamdar ( Gujarat) met union Minister for Tourism and Culture Shri G.Kishan Reddy today to apprise him about the martyrdom monument of great Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in Mehrauli. Shri Kishan Reddy appreciated the move and assured support from ministry.
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur was a great warrior to defend India and defeat the Mughals. His original name was Baba Madhav Das and he was a Bairagi Sadhu.Baba Banda Singh Bahadur aimed at National awakening and Liberation of the country from the oppressive rule of the Mughals. Though Independence came to India much later, yet it was Baba Banda Singh Bahadur who first taught the Indians to fight, conquer and establish their independent rule.
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and his son Ajai Singh were martyred on 9 June, 1716 A.D. along with his other 18 companions near a gate en-route the tomb of so-called Sufi saint Qutub-ud-din Bakhtiar kaki at Mehrauli. The butchers first killed his son Ajai Singh in his lap. But Banda Bahadur remained unmoved and sat in a composed state. After that Baba Banda Singh Bahadur’s cruelly martyred. His glorious martyrdom validates Bhagat Kabir’s rendition in Guru Granth Sahib.