IEP CHANDIGARH, APRIL 13
Punjab Revenue Minister Bram Shanker Jimpa today greeted the people of Punjab on the eve of Baisakhi. In a message Jimpa said that this festival has a great significance for the farmers of Punjab as this day traditionally marks the beginning of harvest of Rabi crops. This harvest festival is indeed an occasion for them to rejoice over their fruits of toil and for all of us to acknowledge Punjabi farmers’ contribution in making India self-sufficient on food security front. Jimpa said that this festival has a great religious significance for Sikhs since on this day in the year 1699 at Sri Anandpur Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh ji established Khalsa Panth, a body of people dedicated to the principles of truth, justice, and equality; the cardinal principles of Sikh faith. The Minister said that the massacre of hundreds of innocent Punjabis by the British at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar on this day in the year 1919 proved as the last nail in the coffin of British rule in India. He called upon people to celebrate this festival collectively and utilize this day to pay our gratitude to all those known and unknown freedom fighters, who laid their lives so that we all can breathe in freedom. Let us also acknowledge the contribution of humble farmers who are working day and night to feed the nation, Jimpa added.
