Rich tributes paid to Bhagat Singh on martyrdom day

Hussainiwala, Ferozepur, Mar 23 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today announced a memorial would be raised to thousands of ''sung and unsung'' freedom fighters and patriots, who laid down their lives for achieving freedom for the country.

The Chief Minister made this announcement after paying floral tributes to Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on their 75th martyrdom anniversary here at ''Shaheedi Samark''.

Later addressing a public gathering, Capt Singh cited the example of the freedom fighters who laid down their lives during the Independence movement. He also narrated his visit to Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands where he visited the Cellular jail in which thousands of freedom fighters from Punjab were kept in captivity during the British regime.

Deeply moved by the apathetic attitude of the British in meteing out inhuman treatment to the Indians who waged war against them, Capt Singh said he had directed the Department for the Welfare of the Freedom Fighters for the compilation of relevant data about them and their families to construct this monument.

Capt Singh said Indian history was replete with the saga of numerous sacrifices made by the unsung heroes from times immemorial during the national freedom struggle.''But we have a short-lived memory and seldom remember our freedom fighters who made unprecedented and unparallel sacrifices for achieving independence,'' he added.

The Chief Minister also announced that the Punjab government would commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh next year by organising a state level function.

He said the government had already embarked upon an ambitious programme to develop the native villages of great martyrs, freedom fighters and warriors who made unprecedented and supreme sacrifices for their motherland as 'heritage sites' on the national map of tourism.

Reiterating his firm resolve to give due representation and respect to all the freedom fighters and patriots, the Chief Minister honoured Mr Wamman Ramchander Ghatpandey, the first cousin of Shaheed Rajguru along with his wife Mrs Laxmi Wamman Ghatpandey who had come all the way from Pune to pay homage to the martyrs. He also honoured Mr Babbar Singh and Maj General Sheoran Singh, nephews of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

A 'shardangali samaroh' was also organised at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh in Nawanshahar district.

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