Chandigarh: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has raised strong objections to the portrayal of children imitating the Sahibzades of Guru Gobind Singh Ji on social media. The SGPC has urged the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) headquarters to direct Payanur School in Kerala to remove the objectionable images from the public domain, emphasising that such acts hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community and violate Sikh principles.
In a statement shared on social media, the SGPC wrote, "Physically imitating the Sahibzadas is considered highly objectionable to the Sikh community and is strictly prohibited as per Sikh doctrines. This act is not permitted as it concerns the sentiments of the Sikh Sangat (community)."
The SGPC requested the KVS administration to address this issue and ensure similar instances are avoided in the future. They also appealed to the Government of India, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and the CBSE to educate schools, colleges and other educational institutions about Sikh doctrines and principles while observing the Martyrdom Day of the Sahibzadeh at the national level. The SGPC offered its support to run awareness campaigns about the Sahibzadas and their legacy.
The SGPC also expressed discontent with the Government of India's decision to name the Martyrdom Day of the younger Sahibzadas as ‘Veer Bal Diwas.’ Sikh institutions, including Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the SGPC, have rejected the name and proposed ‘Sahibzada Shahadat Diwas’ instead. They clarified that in Sikh tradition, Sahibzadas are honoured with the term ‘Baba,’ reflecting their bravery and supreme sacrifice, rather than the term ‘Bal,’ which denotes a child or youth.
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