Nod to erect memorial of Sikh martyr in village

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 23

To perpetuate the glorious legacy of Sikh Panth replete with countless selfless sacrifices, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave approval to erect a memorial to eulogise the supreme martyrdom of great Sikh martyr Baba Jai Singh Khalkat at his native village Baran in Patiala district at a cost of Rs 10.50 crore.

Disclosing this today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said Badal asked the organising committee under the Chairmanship of former Cabinet Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan to execute this project on a fast track.

He also directed the Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayats, to get the estimate of the project verified from Technical Adviser to Punjab Government Gen BS Dhaliwal (retd) so that It could take off at the earliest.

Briefing about the prestigious project, Sekhwan told the Chief Minister that this historic monument in the memory of legendary Sikh martyr Baba Jai Singh Khalkat would be constructed to keep younger generations abreast with the unprecedented sacrifices in the Sikh history.

Sekhwan, who prepared a concept paper on the life of legendary Sikh martyr Baba Jai Singh Khalkat, revealed that his entire family, including his wife Sardarni Dhan Kaur, two sons Karraka Singh and Kharrak Singh and his younger daughter-in-law Amar Kaur, were martyred and Baba ji was skinned alive after being hung upside down from the tree and latter set on fire as ordered by the then tyrannical Mughal regime in 1753. Somehow, the pregnant wife of Baba ji’s son Karraka Singh managed to escape to Ambala and gave birth to a boy that carries on the family of Baja Jai Singh.

Emotionally moved by this spine chilling episode, the Chief Minister said the entire land of Punjab was soaked with blood of martyrs who ever preferred to attain martyrdom than not to compromise with their religious beliefs and lofty ideals as preached by great Gurus. He asked the Sikh scholars and historian to undertake focused research to unearth more such martyrs and heroes who still remained unsung in the annals of our history.

The Chief Minister also asked the Rural development and Panchayats Department to make all-out efforts to spruce up overall development in both these villages of Baran and Nawan Baran as a befitting tribute towards Baba ji’s supreme sacrifice.

It may be recalled that the Chief Minister had already formed a committee comprising Chairperson, Punjab State Technical Education Board, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, as its chairman, Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, as vice-chairman and Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Patiala as its nodal officer. Both sarpanches of Baran and Nawan Baran villages, besides the president and general secretary of the management committee of the local gurdwara, Baran, would be its members.

Chairperson, Punjab State Technical Education Board, Sewa Singh Sekhwan; Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayats Department, Deepinder Singh; Director, Cultural Affairs, NPS Randhawa; and Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, Ramvir Singh; were among those who were present in the meeting.