Chandigarh : Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that Baba Makhan Shah Labana and Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara are not merely two names but two immortal chapters in Sikh history and the history of India. Their lives epitomised sacrifice as their creed, service as their way of life and commitment as their defining identity. Paying his respectful tributes to these two great personalities, the Chief Minister said their lives continue to inspire society with the ideals of selfless service, unwavering faith and supreme sacrifice.
The Chief Minister was addressing the State-level Birth Anniversary Celebration of Baba Makhan Shah Labana Ji and Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara Ji organised under the ‘Sant-Mahapurush Samman Evam Vichar Prasar Yojana’ at Sant Kabir Kutir on Tuesday. On the occasion, eminent members of the community welcomed the Chief Minister by presenting him with a memento and a Siropa .
During the programme, representatives of the Banjara community submitted a memorandum containing six demands. The Chief Minister assured them that all their demands would be fulfilled. He announced that the process relating to the land already allotted for the Makhan Shah Lubana Dharamshala at Pehowa would be completed expeditiously. He also announced a grant of Rs. 31 lakh for construction and other related works of the Dharamshala.
The Chief Minister further announced the construction of a Community Centre in Datauli village and gave an amount of Rs. 31 lakh for the project. He also stated that an institution would be named after Baba Makhan Shah Labana.
Addressing the gathering, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that great personalities do not belong to any particular caste, sect or community, rather, they are the shared heritage of the entire nation. Their ideals, values and life history are not merely a legacy of the past but a source of inspiration for building a New India and a progressive society. It is with this objective that the Haryana Government has launched the ‘Sant-Mahapurush Samman Evam Vichar Prasar Yojana’ so that their teachings, ideals and message continue to inspire future generations, said Sh. Nayab Singh Saini.
He said that after a long time, Haryana has a government that has taken concrete steps to honour great personalities so that the younger generation can learn about their lives of sacrifice, penance and unparalleled contribution to society and the nation. The Chief Minister said that Baba Makhan Shah Labana Ji was born in 1619 in the family of Bhai Dasa Ji Labana.
Recalling one of the most significant chapters in Sikh history, the Chief Minister said that when atrocities under Mughal rule had reached their peak and the Ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib ji, laid down his life at Chandni Chowk for the protection of religion, such was the atmosphere of fear that no one dared even to touch his mortal remains.
At that critical moment, Bhai Lakhi Shah Banjara and his son Bhai Nigahiya came forward. They carried the mortal remains of Guru Sahib ji to their residence and, in order to perform his last rites with due honour, set their own house ablaze. The historic Gurdwara Sri Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi stands today as a living testimony to their unparalleled sacrifice and devotion. The Chief Minister said that the Banjara-Labana community played a vital role in driving the country’s economy for centuries through trade and transportation.
He said that the British enacted the Criminal Tribes Act in 1871, under which the community was declared a hereditary criminal tribe. After Independence, this historical injustice was removed on the recommendation of the Ayyangar Committee, and the community was denotified on August 31, 1952. It is for this reason that August 31 is observed every year as Vimukti Divas.
Government Working on the Principle of Antyodaya- Chief Minister
The Chief Minister said that the lives of Baba Makhan Shah Labana and Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara exemplify the values of service, equality and commitment. Guided by these ideals, the Haryana Government is working on the principle of Antyodaya to ensure that the benefits of development reach the last person in society.
He said that every family in the State has been provided a unique identity through the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP). Under the Mukhyamantri Shehri Awas Yojana, houses have been provided to 15,250 families in 14 cities. Under the Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas Yojana, 6,300 families have been allotted 100-square-yard residential plots along with financial assistance of Rs. 1 lakh each for the construction of houses.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, 1.56 lakh poor families have been provided pucca houses. Under the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Navinikaran Yojana, the financial assistance has been enhanced from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 80,000, and assistance amounting to Rs. 416 crore has so far been provided to 85,815 families.
The Chief Minister said that under the Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana, bank loans have been facilitated for self-employment for more than 55,000 needy beneficiaries. Under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Parivar Suraksha Yojana, financial assistance amounting to Rs. 2,800 crore has been provided to 74,245 families following the death of the family’s earning member.
He further said that 13.43 lakh families are being provided LPG cylinders at Rs. 500 per month. Students are being provided free textbooks, uniforms and stationery up to Class XII. In addition to free coaching for competitive examinations, annual scholarships ranging from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 12,000 are being provided under the Dr. Ambedkar Medhavi Scholarship Scheme.
The Chief Minister said that the objective of all these schemes and initiatives is to provide equal opportunities to every citizen. He called upon the people to imbibe in their lives the values of service, integrity, commitment and sacrifice exemplified by Baba Makhan Shah Labana and Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara, and to contribute towards taking Haryana to new heights in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’.
The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, India’s stature has risen significantly on the global stage. Today, India’s name is spoken with respect across the world, and powerful nations such as the United States and Russia also accord the country due respect.
He said that the nation is steadily moving towards the goal of a Viksit Bharat, and this has been made possible because of the determination and strong resolve of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He added that the country is the same and the officers are the same; what has changed is the leadership’s determination to work, which has ushered in systemic reforms and transformed governance, thereby taking the nation forward.
Director General, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department, Sh. K. Makrand Pandurang, State President, Subedar Major Sh. Kishori Lal, DNT Board Chairman Sardar Jasmer Singh Banjara, OSDs to Chief Minister, Sh. Bharat Bhushan Bharti, Sh. Vivek Kalia, Additional Director, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department, Sh. Manish Lohan and eminent members of the Lubana and Banjara communities from across the State also remained present.
