President Pranab Mukherjee, PM Narendra Modi to be invited for 350th anniv of Sri Anandpur Sahib

CHANDIGARH: Ahead of the celebrations of the 350th foundation day of Sri Anandpur Sahib, the Punjab government today decided to invite the President, the Prime Minister and the Vice President to attend the three-day celebrations beginning June 17.

A decision to this effect was taken in a high level review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to finalise the arrangements for this mega event, an official spokesman said here.

Badal would soon personally extend an invitation to the President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the same, he said.

The CM also apprised in the meeting that Union Cabinet Ministers and Chief Ministers of all the states of the country have already been sent invitation through demi-official letters.

He said that in consonance with the secular ideology of Sikhism, leaders of all religions have also been invited.

Religious leader of Tibetans, the Dalai Lama, Shankaracharya of Dwarka Peeth, Yog guru Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, besides the key leaders of Muslim and Christian community were also being invited for the function, he said.

Badal also asked the Principal Secretary, Cultural Affairs to publish a booklet on the foundation, history and importance of Sri Anandpur Sahib, in due consultation with eminent historians.

He also announced to initiate a special project for compiling the entire history of the holy city and asked the Punjabi University at Patiala to undertake this work.

Meanwhile, the CM, in a telephonic conversation, asked Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal to include Sri Anandpur Sahib in the ambitious scheme of the Centre to install LED bulbs in 100 cities of the country.

The spokesman said Goyal has assured CM that owing to its historic significance, Sri Anandpur Sahib would be covered under the scheme, as per which LED bulbs would be installed in all the street lights of the city.