CM Nayab Saini pays tribute to Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara and Baba Makhan Shah Labana
Synopsis
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on 7 July 2026 paid tribute to Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara and Baba Makhan Shah Labana, two revered 17th-century figures linked to Guru Tegh Bahadur, calling them immortal chapters of Sikh history.
Key Takeaways
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini posted a tribute on 7 July 2026 honouring Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara and Baba Makhan Shah Labana .
Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara is revered for secretly cremating the body of Guru Tegh Bahadur in Delhi in 1675 at great personal risk.
Baba Makhan Shah Labana is credited with identifying Guru Tegh Bahadur as the ninth Sikh Guru through an act of devotion.
The tribute is consistent with BJP outreach to the Sikh community in Haryana , which has a significant Sikh population in districts like Sirsa , Fatehabad , and Ambala .
Sikh organisations and gurdwara managements in Haryana and Punjab may respond to the Chief Minister's statement.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday, 7 July 2026 paid tribute to two revered figures of Sikh history — Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara and Baba Makhan Shah Labana — describing them as immortal chapters of the Sikh tradition.
In a post on X, Saini wrote in Hindi: 'सिख इतिहास के दो अमर अध्याय, बाबा लक्खी शाह बंजारा जी एवं बाबा मक्खन शाह लबाना जी को मैं कोटि-कोटि नमन करता हूँ।' (Translation: 'I bow with millions of salutations to two immortal chapters of Sikh history — Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara Ji and Baba Makhan Shah Labana Ji.')
Context
Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara was a 17th-century Sikh devotee who is remembered for secretly cremating the body of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, in Delhi after the Guru's martyrdom under Mughal rule in 1675. At great personal risk, he set fire to his own home to perform the last rites with dignity, an act celebrated across the Sikh community as supreme devotion.
Baba Makhan Shah Labana was a trader and devoted Sikh who is credited with identifying Guru Tegh Bahadur as the ninth Guru. According to tradition, he had vowed to offer gold coins if saved during a storm at sea, and upon meeting Guru Tegh Bahadur, he recognised the Guru's spiritual authority — an episode that helped establish the ninth Guru's leadership of the Sikh faith.
Policy Backdrop
Haryana has a substantial Sikh population concentrated in districts such as Sirsa, Fatehabad, and Ambala, where Sikh and Hindu communities share deep cultural and religious ties. BJP leaders in the state have periodically issued public tributes to Sikh historical figures as part of consistent outreach to this community.
Chief Minister Saini, who leads a BJP government in Haryana, has continued this pattern of honouring Sikh martyrs and historical personalities through public statements, reflecting the party's broader engagement with Sikh heritage in northern India.
Stakeholders and Impact
The tribute is directed at the Sikh community across Haryana and Punjab, for whom both Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara and Baba Makhan Shah Labana hold deep religious and historical significance. Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations in both states periodically commemorate the contributions of these figures.
Such public acknowledgements by a sitting Chief Minister carry institutional weight, signalling the state government's recognition of Sikh heritage as central to Haryana's cultural identity.
What's Next
Reactions from Sikh organisations and gurdwara managements in Haryana and Punjab may follow. Any state-level commemorative events or programmes linked to Sikh martyrdom anniversaries would provide further context to the Chief Minister's tribute.
Point of View
A state where the community wields notable electoral influence in several districts. By naming both Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara and Baba Makhan Shah Labana — figures who represent devotion and recognition of the ninth Guru — the post engages with a specific strand of Sikh religious memory rather than offering a generic salutation. This signals a deliberate, informed approach to community engagement rather than routine ceremony. The broader arc points to the BJP's sustained effort in northern India to position itself as a guardian of Sikh heritage alongside its Hindu nationalist identity.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara?
Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara was a 17th-century Sikh devotee who secretly cremated the body of Guru Tegh Bahadur in Delhi after the ninth Sikh Guru's martyrdom in 1675, setting fire to his own home to perform the last rites with dignity.
Who was Baba Makhan Shah Labana?
Baba Makhan Shah Labana was a Sikh trader and devotee credited with identifying Guru Tegh Bahadur as the ninth Sikh Guru, an act that helped establish the Guru's leadership of the Sikh faith in the 17th century.
Why did Nayab Singh Saini pay tribute to these Sikh figures?
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini paid tribute to Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara and Baba Makhan Shah Labana on 7 July 2026 via a post on X, calling them immortal chapters of Sikh history. The post is consistent with BJP outreach to Haryana's significant Sikh community.
What is the connection between Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara and Guru Tegh Bahadur?
Baba Lakhi Shah Banjara is revered for performing the last rites of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who was martyred under Mughal rule in Delhi in 1675. He set his own home ablaze to cremate the Guru's body in secret.
Which districts in Haryana have a significant Sikh population?
Haryana's Sikh population is concentrated mainly in districts such as Sirsa, Fatehabad, and Ambala, where Sikh and Hindu communities share deep cultural and religious ties.
