Akal Takht Urges Central Government to Rename ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ as ‘Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas’ to Reflect Sikh Sentiments

The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, has formally called upon the Central government to rename ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ as ‘Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas’, asserting that the current terminology does not accurately represent Sikh ethos or the unparalleled martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s younger sons, Baba Fateh Singh and Baba Jorawar Singh.

In a series of letters emailed to all Sikh Members of Parliament, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj urged MPs to raise the demand forcefully in Parliament and ensure the martyrdom day of the Sahibzadas is officially designated as Sahibzade Shahadat Diwas. The Jathedar emphasized that although the Sahibzadas were young in age, their supreme sacrifice holds the same spiritual and historical significance as that of any adult martyr in Sikh history.

The Central government has been observing December 26 as Veer Bal Diwas since 2022 to commemorate the Sahibzadas’ martyrdom. However, the Akal Takht maintains that the term “Veer Bal” inaccurately conveys Sikh principles and has led to widespread objections among the community.

Letters have been sent to the following Lok Sabha MPs:
Dr Amar Singh (Sri Fatehgarh Sahib), Gurjeet Singh Aujla (Amritsar), Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Bathinda), Malwinder Singh (Sri Anandpur Sahib), Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (Gurdaspur), Gurmeet Singh (Sangrur), Sher Singh (Ferozepur), Sarabjit Singh (Faridkot), Charanjit Singh (Jalandhar), Amritpal Singh (Sri Khadoor Sahib), and Amarinder Singh (Ludhiana).
Rajya Sabha MPs Vikramjit Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri have also been informed.

Jathedar Gargaj noted that Sikh devotees have consistently voiced their concerns over the nomenclature, prompting the Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to act. The SGPC has already written to the Centre requesting the correction in line with Sikh beliefs and historical accuracy. Despite these appeals, the government has yet to announce a decision.

The issue gained urgency after Sikh organisations protested the Punjab government’s plan to celebrate Veer Bal Diwas in Ludhiana on December 12, objecting particularly to proposed fancy-dress competitions asking children to dress as the Sahibzadas, Mata Gujar Kaur Ji or Baba Banda Singh Bahadur—an act they said deeply hurt Sikh sentiments.

Reaffirming the need for cultural and historical sensitivity, the Akal Takht has urged the Centre to take immediate corrective action to honour the legacy of the Sahibzadas with due reverence.