Calling Mughal emperor Aurangzeb a “villain”, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said everyone should instead remember the “heroes” of the country.

Addressing a state-level function to mark the 400th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the chief minister said despite gaining independence over seven decades back, the country’s “right” history has not been told to the people.

Khattar said Guru Tegh Bahadur had made a supreme sacrifice while raising his voice against religious atrocities and injustice, and also for religious freedom and humanity.

“History tells how a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits went to meet Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji to save them from forced conversion under tyrannical ruler Aurangzeb…,” he said.

Calling Mughal ruler Aurangzeb a “khalnayak”, the chief minister said everyone should remember the “nayaks” (heroes) of the country and not the villains.

Although the nation may have gained independence over seven decades back, “but unfortunately for many years, the country’s right history was not told to the people”.

“In the country’s history, there are khalnayaks and nayaks too, but the country’s historians unfortunately presented khalnayaks as nayaks while the nayaks were forgotten..,” he said.

The chief minister also announced that a government medical college being set up at Panjupur village in Yamunanagar district will be named after ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur.

He said the medical college, being set up over 60 acres of land at Panjupur village in Yamunanagar, will be named as Guru Tegh Bahadur Medical College.

“In the next three months, the foundation stone for that medical college will be laid,” Khattar said.

A grand stage had been prepared for the celebrations of the ‘parkash purab’ of the ninth Sikh guru at the Sector 13-17 ground spread over 25 acres along the national highway.

The venue where the function was organised was named after Guru Tegh Bahadur, Khattar announced on the occasion.

The road from GT road leading to the venue will be named as Guru Tegh Bahadur Marg, the chief minister said.

Besides, the path via which the palanquin carrying the Sikh holy book Sri Guru Granth Sahib came has also been named as Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Marg, announced the chief minister.

A number of devotees from different parts of the country had reached here for the state-level event.

“Today we are celebrating the 400th Prakash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji,” Khattar said, adding that the main purpose of organizing such a grand event is to ensure that the stories of the supreme sacrifices made by the Guru should reach every sphere of the country and “our future generations can take inspiration from it”.

Khattar said the Haryana government is celebrating the birth anniversaries of all the saints and great men to ensure maximum reach of their teachings among the society.

On the occasion, Khattar surprised everyone by performing Gatka, a Sikh martial art.

Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen (retd) Gurmit Singh said Guru Tegh Bahadur gave the message of service to humanity as well as protection of religion and sacrifice to the entire society.

In his speech, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed for the country, religion and humanity at a time when the nation was facing atrocities of the Mughals.

“Even today we need to take lessons about religious tolerance, unity and mutual brotherhood from his life,” said Hooda.

Haryana’s Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala also addressed the gathering.

Among others present at the mega event included Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President, H S Dhami, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Harmeet Singh Kalka, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra and BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, besides several other religious leaders.