Punjab govt to bear expenditure for Sikh warrior's statue: CM

The Punjab government will bear the entire expenditure for installation of a life size statue of legendary Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Delhi, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said, assuring full support to DSGMC for commemoration of his 300th birth centenary.
A decision to this effect was taken by the chief minister during a meeting with President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Manjit Singh GK, who called on him at his residence here last night.
Badal said the state government has already agreed to bear the entire expenditure for installation of a life size statue of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Delhi and every effort would be made to commemorate this event in a befitting manner, an official release said here today.

Assuring full cooperation to DSGMC for this event, Badal said the state government would leave no stone unturned to ensure that it is observed with religious fervor and gaiety.
The chief minister said support would also be solicited from Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to make this event a grand success.
He said the entire Sikh community was indebted to the Sikh warrior, who fought the Mughals to after the death of 'sahibzadas' (sons) of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, and in doing so laid down the foundation of 'Khalsa Raj' in India.
Badal said Baba Banda was a true socialist who abolished the zamindari system and made tillers and cultivators the actual owners of the land and issued coins and seals in the name of Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Gobind Singh.