MARTYRDOM: Badal to call on PM for seeking martyrs status for Kartar Singh Sarabha

Sarabha (Ludhiana) November 16, 2012: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that he would soon take up the matter with the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to declare Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha as a national martyr. 

Addressing a gathering after paying floral tributes to the great martyr Kartar Singh Sarabha on his 97th martrydom anniversary here at his native village, Badal said that he was taken aback when it was brought to his notice by the Kartar Singh Sarabha Charitable Trust that the GoI had not yet declared Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha as a national martyr. 

He said that he would soon write to Prime Minister on this issue and subsequently call on him to get this matter resolved on the highest priority because not only the Punjabis even the countrymen and the people across the globe were well aware about the supreme sacrifice made by this great son of the soil.  He said that the glorious sacrifice of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha was not less than the nation's any other great martyrs like Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Udham Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, henceforth it was not only unjustified but also undesirable to deny the status of national martyr to Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha.

Recalling the supreme sacrifices made by several known and unknown martyrs and heroes, Badal lauded the unprecedented and unique contribution of Punjabis in the national freedom struggle.    He mentioned that though the Punjabis constituted only 2% of the country’s population but their immense contribution in the freedom struggle could never be ignored because more than 80% of freedom fighters who laid down their lives or imprisoned were Punjabis. He said that it was a matter of great pride and honour that all the prominent movements associated with Independence struggle like Babbar Akali Movement, Kuka Lehar and Ghadar Lehar were sphere headed from Punjab.  

He pointed out that our freedom fighters had laid down their lives for the welfare of our countrymen but it was the irony of fate that their aspirations had not yet been cherished because they dreamt of an Independent India free from the maladies of illiteracy, unemployment and starvation.  He lamented that the Centre had miserably failed to realize the dreams of our national heroes even after 65 years of independence. 

To pay a befitting tribute to the Punjabis for their immense contribution in the country's freedom struggle, the Punjab government has decided to set up a world class ‘Jang-e-Azaadi Memorial’ over an area of 25 acre at Kartarpur in Jalandhar district.  This state-of-the-art memorial which would come up within next two years would not only showcase the rich legacy of our great heroes and martyrs who got our motherland free from the shackles of British imperialism but also help in imbibing the spirit of nationalism and patriotism amongst our future generations.  Besides this the SAD-BJP government has also made relentless efforts to enliven our rich historical and cultural legacy  history by constructing rare monuments like Wadda Galughara at Kup Rohiran in Sangrur district, Chhota Galughara at Chamb Kahnuwan in Gurdaspur district and Baba Banda Singh Bahadur War Memorial at Chapar Chiri in Mohali district.  

Responding to the demands raised by the MLA Dakha Manpreet Singh Ayali, the Chief Minister invited him to come at Chandigarh so that these demands could be fulfilled.  These demands included starting of 10+2 classes in Medical stream to enable the students to seek admission in the local dental college, Ayurvedic college and nursing college, to declare 16 November as Gazetted holiday on the martyrdom day of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha and grant of Rs.25 lakh for the pavement of streets and drains etc.