UP CM Yogi congratulates people on Baisakhi

Lucknow, Apr 13: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended heartfelt greetings to the people of Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Khalsa Panth Foundation Day and the Baisakhi festival.

Addressing a programme held at the Gurudwara in Yahiyaganj on Sunday, the UP CM paid homage to the unmatched legacy of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699 with a clarion call to protect the nation and uphold religious values.

CM Yogi said that the establishment of the Khalsa Panth aimed to awaken a spiritual and cultural resurgence across the world.

“Guru Gobind Singh Ji envisioned the Khalsa as a force for righteousness and protection of dharma. He founded it with the Panj Pyare as a powerful stand against the tyranny of Aurangzeb’s rule, which was marked by forced conversions through Jizya, the demolition of temples, and grave violations of women's dignity,” he said.

Highlighting the 325-year journey of the Khalsa Panth, CM Yogi praised the Sikh community for their unyielding bravery and devotion in defending the nation and its values during the most challenging times. He described the Sikh tradition, as initiated by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and furthered by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, as unparalleled and spiritually rich.

The CM emphasised the courage and spiritual purity that define the Khalsa, stating that Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s mission was to create "special people of God" who act with purity of heart and unwavering resolve.

“His teachings remain a timeless inspiration for not only Sikhs but every Indian,” he said.

Praising the unwavering spirit of Sikhs, CM Yogi said, “Wherever a Sikh is, he marches forward without fear or hesitation. That is why he is rightly called a Sardar.”

Expressing concern over incidents of religious conversions in regions like Terai and Punjab, the CM urged society to reflect upon and address the root causes of these developments.

He recalled how Guru Gobind Singh Ji chose the Panj Pyare—Dayaram from Lahore, Dharamdas from Delhi, Mohkam Chand from Dwarka, Himmat Rai from Jagannath Puri, and Sahib Chand from Bidar—without any discrimination, laying the foundation of a spiritual order based on equality and unity.

Calling Guru Gobind Singh Ji “the son of a martyred father and the father of martyred sons,” CM Yogi saluted his supreme sacrifice and valour.