Gadar Party veteran turns centenarian

Jalandhar, Apr 2 (UNI) Veteran revolutionary and functionary of the Gadar party, Bhagat Singh Bilga alias Bilga Baba celebrating his 100th birthday today, is sad over unrealised dreams of his revolutionaries' generation but is not ready to give up yet.

"I and other freedom fighters of my generation while fighting against British rule had dreamt a free India emerging as a well educated, leading industrially developed nation but poverty still curses us, education is out of reach of majority of people, youths are hunting for employment and our leaders are busy in inviting multinational industries to invade us again," Baba Bilga told UNI.

He said freedom fighters and revolutionaries had never thought "our political leaders would practice power and money-oriented politics." "However the nation will not give up and I still pin my hopes on the young upcoming generation to take up the mission of bringing much desired change in the scenario," he added.

Change is the need of the hour. The younger generation of the country is required to be organised and taught the lesson of patriotism and to make them understand that it was essential for their bright future, he said.

Born on April 2, 1907 in Bilga village of Jalandhar district Baba Bilga, like many other youths of Doaba region in Punjab, had left his college for Argentina in the hope of earning a few dollars to pay back his family debts.

However, in Argentina he came in contact with Baba Ratan Singh, a leader of Gadar (revolution) party and the association with this outfit changed the course of his life.

"I had joined the activities of the Gadar Party and preferred to address national debt over family liabilities," he said.

He started working under the commands of Baba Ratan Singh and organised the outfit's activities in Argentina which was aimed to prepare the ground to wage a struggle against British rulers back home in India.

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