[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 66 (Friday, April 16, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H1878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING SIKH MASTER GURU TEGH BAHADUR

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize and congratulate the American and global Sikh community as 
they celebrate the 400th birth anniversary of their ninth Sikh Master 
Guru Tegh Bahadur.
  Master Guru Tegh Bahadur lived a very meaningful life. He was one of 
the 10 gurus who founded Sikhism.
  Islam was imposed during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Hindu 
temples were destroyed and turned into mosques, and the emperor 
persecuted those who would not convert to Islamic law.
  Guru Tegh Bahadur spoke out amid the persecution. He refused to 
convert to Islam and, in 1675, he was beheaded in Delhi. He is 
celebrated in the Sikh community because of his heroic efforts in 
defending religious freedoms. Because of his efforts to protect human 
rights, he is often referred to as Srishti Chadar, protector of 
humanity.
  Madam Speaker, Master Guru Tegh Bahadur's memory inspires us to work 
even harder to support religious freedoms for everyone everywhere.

                          ____________________