Jammu, Nov 13: Minister for Planning, Development and Monitoring, Culture, Youth Services and Sports, Mir Saifullah, on Friday described the supreme sacrifice of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji as an enduring symbol of religious freedom, human dignity, tolerance and universal brotherhood.

He was speaking as the chief guest at Shristi Di Chadar – A Supreme Sacrifice for Faith and Freedom of Religion, a nationwide academic and interfaith initiative marking the 350th martyrdom year of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, at Abhinav Theatre, Jammu.
The Minister said Guru Sahib's sacrifice transcended religious and geographical boundaries and represented an extraordinary stand for the rights, beliefs and freedom of others.
He stressed the need to take the teachings of great spiritual personalities to younger generations, saying their message of compassion, mutual respect, communal harmony and peaceful coexistence remained relevant.
Appreciating the organisers, he said such initiatives bring academicians, scholars, writers, students and representatives of different faiths together, strengthening interfaith dialogue and social harmony.
The Jammu chapter was organised by the IHA Foundation, with support from the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages and District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (DGPC), Jammu, under the aegis of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Ministry of Culture.
MLAs Vikram Randhawa and Arvind Gupta also attended the programme and paid tributes to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, highlighting his contribution to the defence of religious freedom and human dignity.
Among those present were Academy Secretary Harvinder Kour, IHA Foundation Chairman Satnam Singh Ahluwalia, DGPC Jammu President Ranjeet Singh Tohra and other representatives.
Academic deliberations featured scholars and interfaith representatives who discussed the historical, spiritual and contemporary relevance of Guru Sahib's life and philosophy. Student participation and debate competitions also formed part of the programme.
A key highlight was the unanimous adoption of a resolution to launch a nationwide petition urging the Government of India to recognise the martyrdom day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji as Indian National Human Rights Day.
Ahluwalia said the proposed initiative aims to honour Guru Sahib's supreme sacrifice in defence of religious freedom, freedom of conscience and the fundamental rights of all.
Students from Government MAM PG College and Government College for Women, Parade, Jammu, who secured first and second positions in the debate competition, were felicitated.
After Amritsar, Ludhiana, New Delhi and Jammu, the ten-city initiative will continue its nationwide journey, promoting academic discourse, interfaith engagement and cultural participation.