Badal, Karat pay tributes to Surjeet at his native village

Jalandhar, Aug 10 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat led a galaxy of senior leaders to pay homage to Harkishan Singh Surjeet at Bundala, the late Communist leader's native village.

At the ''Shardhanjali Samaroh'' , Mr Badal gave full credit to Surjeet for his contribution to the Kisan Movement and his fight for the downtrodden and poor.

Mr Karat in his speech said Surjeet was a man of great courage and at the age of 16 he plunged into the freedom struggle. He racalled Surjeet's long period in jail.

Mr Karat disclosed that he had recently told Surjeet to write his revolutionary biography of 75 years but due to illnes he was not able to complete it, ''we will make efforts to publish a book on Surjeet's contributions to make the younger generation aware of contributions to the nation'', he added.

The CPI(M) General Secretary also recalled Surjeet's fight against communalism and against forces which threatened the unity of the nation. He also reminded the people of Punjab of the stand taken by Surjeet against the terrorists in the state.

Mr Sitaram Yechury, CPM Polit Bureau member in his tribute said Surjeet was the man who continued his revolutionary struggle even after the country gained freedom. Surjeet could have solved the Amarnath Shrine issue, had he been alive, Mr Yechuri said while referring to the vision of the late CPI(M) leader.

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, former union minister B S Ramoowalia, CPM leader Brinda Karat, Punjab BJP chief Rajinder Bhandari and state Congress working president Mohinder Singh Kaypee also paid tributes the late CPM leaders.

Close friends and well wishers of Surjeet also paid tribues.

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