Sikh delegation calls on Sonia Gandhi on Baisakhi day

New Delhi, Apr 14 (UNI) A delegation of Sikhs led by Mr Harcharan Singh Josh, member of the National Commission for Minorities, today called on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the occasion of Basaikhi, the festival of harvest of Rabi crops, expressing their gratitude for her contribution towards maintaining the 'plural culture and ethos' of the country.

The delegation also congratulated both Ms Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for taking bold steps for the welfare of minorities which included setting up the Rajinder Sachar committee to ascertain the actual position of a minority community which had been made the target of 'political expediency' by some vested interests.

Later, Mr Josh presented to Ms Gandhi an embroidered photograph of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru who had fought against the evils of the Indian society.

The Baisakhi festival is an auspicious day for the Sikhs as a separate 'Sikh Panth' was initiated on this day in 1699 at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab with tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh creating a 'Khalsa Order' there.

UNI