PM Narendra Modi with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his Deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal at the programme to mark 300th anniversary of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
The government will celebrate 350th birth anniversary of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh across the country and has earmarked Rs 100 crore for the events.
Addressing a function to commemorate 300th anniversary of martyrdom of Sikh general Baba Banda Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a high-level national committee will be formed that would chalk out an elaborate plan for the celebrations.
"Government of India will be celebrating 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in every corner of the country. It will be celebrated everywhere across the world where Indians reside.
"For this, the government of India has earmarked an amount of Rs 100 crore. A high-level committee is being formed to look into organisation of the events," PM Modi said. The Punjab government will also contribute a matching amount for the event.
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Sikh Guru was born on December 22, 1666.
"Commemoration of the historical events will connect future generations with our roots. Those who forget history can never create history. Only those can create history who are connected with the historical roots.
"So, if we celebrate 300th, 350th or a centenary, all these events connect us with the great and historical traditions," he said.
Incidentally, the AAP government in Delhi had recently named the Barapullah bridge after Baba Banda Singh.
The AAP is trying hard to make inroads in Punjab, while the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine may have to overcome a ten-year anti-incumbency factor in the state as polls are scheduled to be held in the first half of 2017.