On the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Narendra Modi will address the nation from the Red Fort after sunset

*Paromita Das

On Thursday, April 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation from the Red Fort to commemorate the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the first prime minister to deliver a speech at the Mughal-era monument after sunset.

Modi will address the nation from Red Fort’s lawns rather than its ramparts.

According to culture ministry officials, the fort was chosen as the venue for the event because it was from here that Mughal ruler Aurangzeb issued orders for the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, in 1675.
On Independence Day, prime ministers address the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

According to officials, Prime Minister Modi will speak at 9.30 p.m. on Thursday about interfaith peace and harmony among communities. Aside from Independence Day, Modi will deliver a speech from the monument for the second time. In 2018, he hoisted the national flag at the monument to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s formation of the Azad Hind Government. His speech was scheduled for 9 a.m. on this particular occasion.

On Thursday, 400 Sikh musicians will perform, and there will also be a langar.

To commemorate the occasion, Modi will also issue a commemorative coin and postage stamp, according to officials. The Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Chandni Chowk is close to the Red Fort. They said it was built on the site where Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded by the Mughals, and that Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, which is near Parliament, was built on his cremation site.

The event, which will be attended by 11 chief ministers and prominent Sikh leaders from across the country, will be kicked off on Wednesday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Families of 400 Sikh ‘jathedars,’ including those from the Golden Temple, have also been invited.