THE NEWS FREEDOM
KHURALGARH(HOSHIARPUR), FEBRUARY 24
Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Singh Mann, on Saturday announced that the state government will celebrate the upcoming 650th Parkash Utsav of Sri Guru Ravidass in an unprecedented manner. Addressing the gathering during a state-level function to observe the 647th Parkash Utsav of Sri Guru Ravidass after dedicating Sri Guru Ravidass memorial here today, the Chief Minister said that he has already asked the officers to ensure foolproof planning for the smooth execution of the event. He said that for this event the entire area around Khuralgarh will be holistically developed in consultation with the devotees. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is a lifetime opportunity and the state government will leave no stone unturned to make this event a huge success.
The Chief Minister said that the memorial has come up at a cost of nearly Rs 143 crore and is a humble tribute to Sri Guru Ravidass by the state government. He said that the memorial is equipped with a building with tourist facilities, multi-level parking, Minar-e-Begumpura, Sangat Hall, state-of-the-art auditorium and others. Bhagwant Singh Mann envisioned that this memorial will go a long way in perpetuating the life and philosophy of Sri Guru Ravidass.
Vowing to work tirelessly to ameliorate the woes of weaker and underprivileged sections of society, the Chief Minister said that this is in consonance with the teachings of Sri Guru Ravidass. He said that the state government is duty-bound to ensure the well-being of the poorest of poor for which several path-breaking initiatives are being taken. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that with the blessings of Sri Guru Ravidass, his government has been voted to power with a thumping majority.
The Chief Minister said that Sri Guru Ravidass gave the message of welfare of the entire humanity, and equality of all the sections of the society thus creating a society based on egalitarian values. He said that Sri Guru Ravidass laid out the concept of such an ideal society where nobody undergoes suffering of any kind. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that his government is committed to carve out a society based on the teachings and philosophy of Sri Guru Ravidass.
The Chief Minister said that the life and teachings of Sri Guru Ravidass continue to guide humanity towards carving an egalitarian society. He said that Sri Guru Ravidass was a great spiritual ambassador and messiah of the poor and unprivileged sections of society taught us to lead a virtuous and noble life. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this ‘Parkash Utsav’ is an occasion to rededicate ourselves to the task of creating a society where every human being leads a life with self-respect and dignity regardless of any discrimination.
The Chief Minister further said that as per the ideology of Bharat Ratna Baba Sahib BR Ambedkar the state government is empowering the weaker sections of society by imparting quality education to them. He said that ‘Schools of Eminence’ established by the state government will realize the dreams of Baba Sahib by grooming the poor but bright students for a prosperous future. Bhagwant Singh Mann also urged the pilgrims to pray for the peace, progress and prosperity of the state adding that with the blessings of Sri Guru Ravidass a new, vibrant and progressive Punjab will soon be carved out by the state government.