New Delhi [India], May 5 : Prominent members of the Sikh community from 20 States attended the All India Sikh Conclave, organised by the Indian Minorities Foundation (IMF), at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Sunday on the theme 'Role of the Sikh community in nation-building and progress'.
During the Conclave, Sikh community leaders said that due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives, like the declaration of Veer Baal Diwas, to pay homage to the courage of the 'Sahibzades', the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh, for the first time since the country's independence, the nation has become more aware of the sacrifices made by the Sikh community and their countless contributions to sustaining the glory of the nation after partition.
Padma Shri, Dr Jitendra Singh Shanty, told ANI, "When elections approach, everyone counts their achievements, most of which are political. When tragedy struck us all three years ago, many elected representatives did not come out of their homes, but one person was taking cognizance of the country post-midnight hours. The country's Prime Minister was closely watching my work and taking cognizance at the micro-level, even at those late hours. We should think about that time beyond politics and thank those who came to the ground to protect us and our families."
"If I talk about my religion, it has gotten unprecedented respect in the last decade--be it the Kartarpur Sahib corridor, the Hemkunth Sahib ropeway, or bringing the story of 'Sahibzadas' in front of the world. The sacrifice of the Sahibzadas has been brought into the CBSE curriculum as well, and PM Narendra Modi's efforts to make this possible cannot be forgotten," Shanty added.
Further, Jagdeep Singh, Council General of South Korea in Chandigarh, asserted that it's important to have a strong leader and Prime Minister Modi is a respected man across the globe.
"It's the leaders who matter. If the leader is strong and spreading the right message in the world, he is recognised by everyone. As an Indian, I would always say that our Prime Minister is the top leader in the world. We feel he is a very respected man all over the globe. India has a great say in the US political scenario," he said.
Besides Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and IMF Convenor Satnam Singh Sandhu, Sikh academicians, scholars, religious figures, social and political leaders, spiritual leaders, youth representatives, members of Gurdwara Management Committees, and other dignitaries from the community attended the conclave.