The state government’s Veer Bal Diwas programme—observed on the martyrdom day of Guru Gobind Singh’s younger sons—has come under scrutiny after districts were instructed to hold a “fancy-dress competition” for children. The directive has angered the Akal Takht, the SGPC, and Sikh intellectuals, who demand a complete ban on depicting Sikh gurus or their family members in any form.