Demand to convert Bhagat Singh’s hideout into museum

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 23

The Punjab Students Union (PSU), held a protest against Tourism and Culture Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu at Khatkar Kalan for denying them a meeting regarding conservation of Bhagat Singh’s secret hideout in Ferozepur.

The union members demanded that the secret hideout of Bhagat Singh be converted into a museum and a library and be preserved by the government. After some of the activists of the union were arrested, they announced to hold dharnas against the government. They said those talking of preserving the heritage of the martyrs, have been jailed.

They also said the district unit of the Punjab Students Union condemns the arrests. State secretary Rajinder Singh, general secretary Pradeep Kasba and press secretary Mangaljit Pandori said the government wasn’t serious about preserving the heritage of the martyrs. They said the history of these cities provides the impetus to students to fight against Capitalist powers.

This secret hideout situated in the Toori Bazar in Ferozepur was a key place of the Hindustan Socialist Republic Association in Punjab. Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Sukhdev, Mahavir Singh, Shiv Verma and Dr Gaya Prasad, stayed at this hide out for several months.

The plan to kill officer Scott (eventually Sanders got killed), to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai was also hatched at the same place. The biographies of many martyrs were also penned at the same spot by Shiv Verma. The hair and beard of Bhagat Singh were also cut at this very place to aide his disguise.

The union members said, the hideout, thus, rather than being just a brick building, was the symbol of the sacrifices laid by martyrs in the freedom struggle.

They said a meeting with Navjot Singh Sidhu was being sought by the union for the past many days. But rather than a meeting, today several student leaders were arrested. The arrested leaders were Sukhvir Saini, Kamaljit, Neeraj Chahrmajara and Bikramjit.

The PSU demanded the release of student leaders and announced that they shall be holding dharnas and protests across the state from March 28 onwards regarding this.