Martyrs of Jallianwala massacre remembered

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, April 13

For the first time in history after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, token tributes were paid to the martyrs by their descendants and residents as the bagh has been closed for construction and restoration work.

Descendants of the martyrs and a few political leaders turned up at the place and remembered the unfortunate event. The government had planned to complete the beautification project before the 100 anniversary but the work got delayed and was recently stopped due to the Covid crisis.

Sunil Kapoor of Jallianwala Bagh Freedom Fighters Foundation, who along with others paid tributes to the martyrs from outside the Bagh, said: “It was because of the sacrifices made by the people here that the country attained freedom. So, it is our duty to pay respects to the martyrs even though the country is going through a lockdown.”

Lok Sabha member Gurjit Singh Aujla and Cabinet Minister Raj Kumar Verka also paid floral tributes to the martyrs. Speaking on the occasion, Verka said he was disappointed that the Bagh was closed on the important day as the government could not complete the project in time.

RMPI activists pay tributes

While paying tributes to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the activists of the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI) on Monday put up flags of their party at rooftops of their residences and demanded PPT kits for doctors, healthcare and paramedical staff besides class IV employees of Government Medical College and GNDH involved in the treatment of coronavirus patients.

They also demanded food grains and other essential goods for poor strata and labour class people who were badly hit by this nationwide lockdown. The organisation demanded that the requisite PPT kits be provided to them as they were facing shortage and risking their lives while treating Covid patients.