Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Sikh Guru Gobind Singhji’s children were killed as they refused to be converted from Sikhism. Speaking on the occasion of Veer Baal Diwas, PM Modi said Mughal emperor Aurangzeb wanted to convert the two children (chhote sahibzaade Fateh Singh and Zorawar Singh) by threatening them with a sword. And when they refused, he had them executed.
"Aurangzeb and his people wanted to convert the religion of Guru Gobind Singh's children on the basis of sword that is why he decided to kill the two innocent children. Imagine that era when against the terror of Aurangzeb, against his plans to change India, Guru Gobind Singh ji stood like a mountain" he said.
PM Modi said India needs to break free from the "narrow views" of the past to take the country to heights of success. Referring to the deaths of the sons of Guru Gobind Singhji, PM Modi said the incidents of Chamkaur and Sirhind are just 300 years old. “On one side was a religious extremist Mughal empire, on the other was our Guru, an epitome of knowledge and austerity,” he said.
"On the one hand there was terrorism and on the other spiritualism. On one hand there was communal violence and on the other there was liberalism. On one hand there were forces of lakhs while on the other there were just 'Veer Sahibzaade' who did not budge at all," PM Modi said.
Zorawar Singh (9) and Fateh Singh (6), the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singhji, were captured in Sirhind in December 1704. They were offered released if they converted to Islam. However, they refused. This angerd the Wazir Khan, a Mughal Governor under Aurangzeb, and he ordered them to be bricked alive in a wall.
The elder sons of Guru Gobind Singh — Ajit Singh (17) and Jujhar Singh (13) — were killed in the Battle of Chamkaur earlier that month.
On the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh's birth anniversary on January 9 this year, PM Modi had announced that December 26 will be observed as 'Veer Bal Diwas'. The Prime Minister said the day would remind us that age does not matter when it comes to displaying extreme valour and sacrifice.
"Veer Bal Diwas tells us what is India, what is its identity and every year, Veer Bal Diwas will inspire us to recognise our past and make our future. This will also remind everyone about the strength of our young generation," PM Modi said.