The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a massive nationwide observance to mark the martyrdom of the Sahibzadas, the sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The party stated that programs will be organized simultaneously across 768 districts in the country, aiming to propagate the sacrifices and teachings of the Sikh Gurus to every region and community.
Nationwide Observance and Political Claims
At a press conference in Chandigarh on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, BJP Punjab's state vice-president, Bikram Cheema, detailed the plan. He emphasized that the message would be conveyed in the mother tongues of various states, including Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, and Assamese. The event was also addressed by Dayal Das Sodhi, state general secretary, and Manjit Singh Rai, former vice-chairman of the National Minorities Commission.
Manjit Singh Rai made a significant political assertion, claiming that the BJP is the only party that has addressed Sikh issues with genuine sensitivity and resolve. He cited the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, the integration of Sikh history into the national education curriculum, and the large-scale celebration of Prakash Purabs and Shaheedi Diwas both in India and abroad as evidence of this commitment.
Rai further highlighted symbolic gestures, noting that Guru Tegh Bahadur's Prakash Purab and Shaheedi Diwas have been commemorated at the Red Fort, the very site from which the order for his execution was historically announced. He also pointed to the BJP government's actions in securing convictions for the perpetrators of the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom and providing compensation and government jobs to affected families in Delhi and Haryana.
Plans for Punjab and 'Veer Bal Diwas'
Elaborating on the plans for Punjab, BJP leader Dayal Das Sodhi stated that special events would be held in every district of the state on December 26, observed as "Veer Bal Diwas." The programs will include Shabad Kirtan and religious discourses in gurdwaras, seminars and lectures in educational institutions, historical exhibitions, and a widespread poster and banner campaign. A large-scale outreach involving the youth and all sections of society is also planned.
Controversy and Denial from Shiromani Akali Dal
The announcement, however, has been met with controversy and a strong rebuttal from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Senior SAD leader and former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president, Manjit Singh GK, accused the BJP of lying regarding the origin of the "Veer Bal Diwas" nomenclature.
GK categorically denied claims made by BJP spokesman Pritpal Singh Baliawal that he and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had recommended the name "Veer Bal Diwas" during a meeting with former minister Smriti Irani and India TV's Rajat Sharma. He stated that no such press release exists from the DSGMC and shared a video link of the said seminar as proof of his denial.
He further stated that the BJP leader was opposing the directive of the acting jathedar of Akal Takht, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gadgaj, who had instructed Sikh MPs to advocate for the name "Sahibzade Shaheedi Diwas" instead. GK warned of potential legal action against the BJP leader for his claims and accused him of misleading the public through social media posts.
The BJP's extensive plan to commemorate the Sahibzadas' martyrdom underscores its continued outreach to the Sikh community. However, the sharp disagreement with its former ally, the SAD, over the naming of the day reveals the ongoing political sensitivities and contestations surrounding the representation of Sikh history and identity in the national discourse.
