New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) Attempting to improve the Congress's ties with the Sikhs, party general secretary Rahul Gandhi Friday heaped praise on the community, saying they have "done the country proud by their achievements".

Inaugurating a memorial dedicated to Tegh Bahadue, the Sikhs' ninth Guru, Rahul Gandhi hailed the teachings of the Sikh spiritual gurus and also the contributions of the community.

"The Sikhs of this country have done the nation proud with their achievements. They have hoisted the flag of India in every part of the world," he said in Hindi.

Gandhi also thanked Prime Minsiter Manmohan Singh, a Sikh, for taking the country on the path of development and progress.

"The country is thankful to the Sikh community, for the progress and development brought by them. I am very thankful to Prime Minister Mamohnan Singh, who has brought progress and development in the country," he said.

He was all praise for Guru Teg Bahadur.

"We must understand the importance of Guru Teg Bahadur. This country in not the country of any caste or religion, this is a country of every Indian."

"These were the teaching of Guru Tegh Bahadur and we must understand the importance of his teachings," Gandhi said.

The Congress general secretary added that he goes back to the teachings of ancient gurus of India for guidance.

"When I think of my work, I go through the teachings of the ancient gurus of India and follow them. The whole country must follow their path for the development of the country," he added.

The Congress's ties with Sikhs were strained after the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in 1984. More recently, many Sikh groups are demanding the release of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, a former Khalistan Commando Force militant, who has been given the death penalty in a 1993 car bombing case in Delhi.