Navi Mumbai: Union home minister will attend a mass commemorative programme being organised this Sunday in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, as part of a two-day event to mark the 350th martyrdom year of Guru Tegh Bahadur. PM Narendra Modi will join it virtually.CMs of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, MP, UP and Gujarat, three governors, former TN BJP chief K Annamalai, yoga guru Ramdev, and spiritual leader Dhiren Shastri are expected to attend the two-day event, beginning Saturday. CM Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar will be present on both days. Over 20 lakh devotees from across the country are expected to turn up, said Vijay Suryavanshi, Konkan divisional commissioner. There will be spiritual discourses, jagrans and kirtans, presentations, community dialogue, an exhibition featuring historical records, books and other literature, and traditional sword-fighting demonstrations. Event coordinator Rameshwar Naik said members of Sikh, Sikligar, Banjara, Labana, Mohyal and Sindhi communities are expected to attend. Healthcare facilities will be available for visitors. The objective of the event is to convey to the younger generation the historical significance of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom and its deep connection with constitutional values, religious freedom, equality and justice, said Naik. Navi Mumbai and Panvel civic bodies, along with the Konkan divisional commissionerate, are pulling out all the stops to make the event a success. Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation is installing over 1,000 mobile toilets and making seating arrangements for thousands of devotees. As a prelude to the mega event, a nagar kirtan will be organised on Friday, which is expected to see about 50,000 participants from Belapur to Kharghar. —B B Nayak
