Chandigarh: Punjab BJP leader and party spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal has written to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, urging the Delhi government to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur by renaming the historic Chandni Chowk area as ‘Sis Ganj’.
He also proposed that nearby metro stations be dedicated to Guru Teg Bahadur’s disciples — Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das, and Bhai Dyal — who attained martyrdom alongside the Guru.
Honouring the ‘Hind Di Chadar’
In his letter, Baliawal said that on the sacred occasion of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 556th birth anniversary, he was writing “with deep reverence as both a Sikh and an Indian” to recall the unparalleled sacrifice of Guru Teg Bahadur, known as the Hind Di Chadar, who gave his life defending the right to religious freedom and protecting humanity’s conscience.
He recalled that during Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s rule in 1675, religious persecution was rampant — temples were destroyed, scriptures burned, and people forced to convert.
Over 500 Kashmiri Pandits, led by Pandit Kirpa Ram, approached Guru Teg Bahadur at Sri Anandpur Sahib, seeking protection for their faith.
Moved by their suffering, Guru Sahib chose to make the supreme sacrifice to uphold truth and the principle of “Sarbat da Bhala” (welfare of all).
Martyrdom at Delhi’s Sis Ganj Sahib
Baliawal recounted that Guru Teg Bahadur and his three companions were taken to Delhi, where they faced inhuman torture.
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Bhai Mati Das was sawn alive.
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Bhai Sati Das was wrapped in cotton and burnt.
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Bhai Dyal was boiled alive.
Finally, Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded at the site where Gurdwara Sri Sis Ganj Sahib stands today — a sacred place symbolising courage, sacrifice, and the defence of religious liberty.
A Call for Symbolic Tribute
Baliawal urged that renaming Chandni Chowk as ‘Sis Ganj’ and dedicating metro stations to these martyrs would not just be an administrative decision but a historic tribute to India’s values of tolerance, bravery, and freedom of faith.
“Every person passing through this sacred place would be reminded that this is the land where a head was offered for truth, but the truth itself was never compromised,” he wrote.
He added that such a decision under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s leadership would fill millions of Sikhs and Indians worldwide with pride and reverence, sending a strong message of unity and interfaith respect.
‘A Step Toward Immortalising the Spirit of Sacrifice’
Baliawal concluded his letter by urging the CM to consider the proposal “with sensitivity and seriousness.”
“Renaming Chandni Chowk as Sis Ganj would immortalise the spirit of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji’s martyrdom and remind generations to come that India stands strong because of those who chose sacrifice over silence,” he wrote.