AAP vs BJP: Malvinder Singh Kang Condemns Cancellation of Guru Tegh Bahadur Seminar, Says BJP Trying to Hide Punjab’s History
He urged the university to restore the event, calling the move a direct attack on academic freedom and Sikh heritage.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly criticised the BJP-led Central Government after the sudden cancellation of a seminar planned to honor the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji. AAP MP from Sri Anandpur Sahib and the party’s Punjab General Secretary Malvinder Singh Kang called the move “deeply disappointing” and “painful,” saying the BJP was trying to hide and weaken Punjab’s proud history and heritage.
Kang said that the university authorities took this step under pressure from their political masters in Delhi, clearly pointing toward the Central Government. He asked, “Why is the government scared of talking about Guru Sahib’s sacrifice? How can the truth about our Gurus be seen as a threat?”
Why Was the Seminar on Guru Sahib’s Martyrdom Stopped?
Kang, a former student and two-time president of the Punjab University Students’ Council, said in his statement that the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji is not only sacred for Sikhs but a lesson for the whole world. He added, “Guru Sahib gave His life not just for a religion but to protect human values, freedom, and moral courage in our society.”
He further said the university acted on direct pressure from the BJP government in Delhi. “The Vice Chancellor is under the Centre’s influence. The BJP does not want the glorious legacy of ‘Hind Di Chadar’ to reach our youth,” he claimed. Kang compared the cancellation to the earlier removal of Shaheed Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra’s portrait, calling both acts an attempt to silence Punjab’s youth and erase Sikh pride.
Who Was the Scholar the BJP Called ‘Controversial’?
The AAP MP shared that students informed him that the seminar, scheduled for October 27, was called off because noted Sikh scholar Sardar Ajmer Singh was invited to speak and some labeled him “controversial.”
Kang rejected this excuse completely, saying that Sardar Ajmer Singh has been a respected thinker for over 30 years, with no criminal background, and has delivered lectures in many universities in India and abroad. “Stopping such a scholar from speaking,” he said, “is an attack on freedom of education and free thought.”
Will the University Restore the Seminar Permission?
Kang said he has written to Vice Chancellor Prof. Renu Vig, asking her to reverse the decision and allow the seminar. He stressed that Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji’s life and teachings must be included in educational courses so that young people can learn from His sacrifice and build a just and peaceful future.
He urged the Vice Chancellor not to surrender to political influence and to support the students’ right to host the event, reminding that the world respects Guru Sahib’s unmatched martyrdom. Kang also said the AAP government in Punjab will protect the state’s heritage and the voices of its youth, and will resist any effort by the BJP or Centre to curb Punjab’s history or academic freedom.
Is This Part of a Larger Pattern of Suppression?
Kang said that this cancellation reflects a continuing trend of cultural censorship under the BJP’s rule — where debates about Sikh history, Punjab’s heroes, and independent thinking are being restricted. He ended his statement by urging the university to rise above political pressure and protect its dignity by allowing open discussion and paying proper respect to Guru Sahib’s great sacrifice.
