Resolution passed during Special House Session: Holy tag for Amritsar walled city, Anandpur Sahib & Talwandi Sabo
Sale and use of meat, liquor, tobacco, and other intoxicants will be prohibited in these cities, says Bhagwant Mann, Punjab CM
The Punjab government has decided to grant holy city status to Amritsar walled city, Talwandi Sabo and Anandpur Sahib, chief minister Bhagwant Mann said on Monday.
The chief minister was addressing mediapersons here shortly after the Punjab assembly unanimously passed a resolution declaring Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district, Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda and the Galiara area around the Golden Temple in Amritsar as holy cities.
The sale and use of meat, liquor, tobacco, and other intoxicants will be prohibited in these cities, he added.
The resolution was moved by Mann during a special session of the assembly, which was convened to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur. It was for the first time that a session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha was held outside state capital Chandigarh.
Mann said since decades, people have been seeking holy city status for these places. He said such proposals were mooted during the tenures of previous governments but were never implemented. “Our government is blessed to have taken this decision. The special session will be remembered for a long time for this move,” he added.
Mann said these places are not just religious centres but also symbols of our civilisational heritage. “Declaring them holy cities was not just a demand by a single political party, community or religion, rather, it was an essential step toward the preservation and global promotion of our cultural heritage”, he said.
Earlier, Mann said an interfaith committee related to all religious institutions in these holy cities will be formed.
The Punjab government will make dedicated efforts for the development, cleanliness, security and promotion of religious tourism in these holy cities.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal said special funds would be allocated for the development of the places that have been accorded holy status.
The state government will ensure the holistic development of these cities besides accelerating religious tourism in them, the CM added. For this, the state government will allocate necessary budget, and also seek funds from the central government “as this is imperative to spread the legacy of these places for our coming generations”, he said.
The CM said as a tribute to Guru Teg Bahadur, the state government has organised a series of events November 23-25 across the state to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary.
He said today’s session was part of these events only, adding that the sacrifice made by Guru Teg Bahadur was supreme and unprecedented as it was aimed at protecting the religion of others.
Mann said the Guru made the supreme sacrifice to protect the religious rights of humanity to set an example for the world.
Earlier, the House also passed another resolution to draw inspiration from Guru Teg Bahadur’s life and teachings to work towards the welfare and prosperity of the people of Punjab, promoting peace, tolerance and harmony in society.
The Punjab government has officially declared Amritsar walled city, Talwandi Sabo, and Anandpur Sahib as holy cities, prohibiting the sale of meat, liquor, and other intoxicants. This decision, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during a special assembly session, aims to enhance religious tourism and preserve cultural heritage. Background efforts for this designation span decades.