Declare Bhagat Singh martyr, demand kin

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 10

Relatives of Bhagat Singh joined members of the Jabar Virudh Action and Welfare Committee at a dharna being staged at Jantar Mantar here on Sunday to demand martyr status for him and fellow freedom fighters Rajguru, Sukhdev and Udham Singh.

Bhagat Singh’s nephews Kiranjeet Singh and Abhay Singh Sandhu and Sandhu’s wife Tejwinder Kaur came here to support the demand which has been taken up by several NGOs over the years.

President of the Jabar Virudh Action and Welfare Committee Jaswant Singh Bharta said the Modi government must declare Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Udham Singh as martyrs.

Recently several groups, led by the National Akali Dal, had held a similar protest demanding martyr status for these freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country.

These groups have also been demanding that Chandra Shekhar Azad be also declared a martyr.

These activists lamented that Members of Parliament, legislators etc, received various benefits from the government while families of the freedom fighters had not been given any support or benefits over the years even after 72 years of freedom.