Pb: Elaborate arrangements for 'Shaheedi Sabha' event

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the annual three-day 'Shaheedi Sabha' scheduled to be held from December 26-28 here, an official said.

The event is held each year to mark the martyrdom of the two younger sons of the 10th Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, who were "bricked alive" here during the regime of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Thousands of devotees from across the country and abroad are expected to pay their obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib.

All necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure that the event passes off peacefully, said Deputy Commissioner, Fatehgarh Sahib, Shiv Dular Singh Dhillon.

He said free parking sites have been earmarked for vehicles. Similarly, buses will be put on service, which would take senior citizens and women free of cost to Gurdwara Sahib from all the entry points to the district, Dhillon added.

Besides, all basic civic amenities like toilets, drinking water and cleanliness would be ensured and enquiry centres and medical teams would work round-the-clock during the programme, he said.

While Shaheedi Sabha is purely a religious affair, the political parties, over the years, began holding conferences at the event.

While the ruling party highlighted its achievements and announced its priorities, the opposition took on the government on various fronts.

The parties mostly used to hold their political conferences on the second day of Shaheedi Sabha. However, last year on the directions of the Akal Takht Jathedar, the Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress, Aam Adami Party and BSP did not organize any rallies. This year, too, they are not holding the conferences.

The SAD (Amritsar), however, had last year organised its political conference and this year too it is planning the same.

The three-day religious function would begin with Akhand Path of Guru Granth Sahib at Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup on Wednesday.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex religious body of the Sikhs, has made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of the event.

SSP Alka Meena said CCTV and drone cameras have been installed to keep a close watch on anti-social elements.

She said 3,000 police personnel have been put on duty to maintain law and order.

Seven superintendents of police and 13 DSP rank officers will be on duty during the event, the SSP said.