New Delhi: Children's Day may no longer be celebrated on the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, if Manoj Tiwari has his way.
Just ahead of the Delhi elections which are slated for early next year, the Delhi BJP chief has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to instead mark the day in respect of the valour of Guru Gobind Singh's sons, who at the time of their death were only children.
Tiwari argued in his letter: "There are many children in India who have made great sacrifices but among them the sacrifice made by Sahibzade Jorawar Singh and Sahibzade Fateh Singh (sons of Guru Gobind Singh) is supreme. On this day in 1705, they sacrificed their life in Punjab's Sirhind to protect dharma."
When executed, Zoravar Singh was 9 years old and Fateh Singh was just 6 years. Legend has it that both of them were buried alive by the Mughals when the two refused to convert to Islam.
But his suggestion assumes significance since Children's Day is celebrated on November 14 each year, which is the birth anniversary of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
The timing of the suggestion is also interesting given that a total of 16,787,941 Sikhs live in Delhi, who are a potential vote bank. The issue is also very emotive to Sikhs.
(IANS)