Hussainiwala memorial in neglect

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, March 22

Come March 23 and the political leadership across the spectrum and people from various sections of society converge at National Martyrs Memorial, Hussainiwala, to pay homage to three gallant martyrs who were unceremoniously cremated here by the British. For the rest of the year, apathy and neglect mars this place built in the memory of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.

Notwithstanding its importance, the memorial is still struggling to get the attention it deserves. While the previous SAD-BJP regime doled crores on war memorials across the state, this sacred placed did not catch the fancy of the government.

The foundation stone of the memorial was laid in 1965 by then Union Defence Minister YB Chavan. However, the work could not be initiated due to the Indo-Pakistan war that year. Later, the memorial was dedicated to the nation in 1968 by then Chief Minister Lachhman Singh Gill who got it completed within a short span of 37 days at a cost of Rs 1.84 lakh.

Since then, Shaheedi Melas are held on March 23 to mark the martyrdom day. Political leaders make tall promises to develop this memorial but nothing has happened over the years, except for the landscaping of the sprawling lawns. Several projects such as a museum, craft village and a light and sound show facility are hanging fire.

Even the road leading to this historical place is not upto the mark and there is no streetlight on this stretch.

Whatever work was done before 1971 was damaged during the Indo-Pakistan war when the invading Pakistani troops ransacked the memorial and took away the busts of the three martyrs, which were later retrieved through the diplomatic channel.

The memorial was rebuilt in 1973 following the efforts of the then CM, Giani Zail Singh. Late PM Rajiv Gandhi, during his 1985 visit, promised to revamp the memorial, but to no avail. Hundreds of people who come here from far off places to pay respects to the martyrs feel a deep sense of anguish that this place has not been developed befitting the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs.

Ironically, martyrs’ busts remained dumped in one of the stores of the DC office till 2000 when they were discovered from an old trunk and later placed in the conference hall by then Deputy Commissioner KS Sidhu.

When contacted, Sidhu who during his tenure as Commissioner here, had invited a team from Archaeological Survey of India and Ministry of Tourism to give this memorial its ‘pride of place’ among the national monuments, said that there was dire need to give this memorial its due so that the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters continue to inspire the generations to come.