Great-grandsons of Ghadarite join farmers' cause

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 25

During a protest by the Kisan Morcha in 1938, five Ghadar revolutionaries fighting for the rights of farmers were arrested and tied in chains at the Amritsar railway station. They were Sardar Santa Singh, Sardar Sohan Singh Bhakna, Darshan Singh Pheruman, Fauja Singh and Karam Singh Cheema.

Keeping legacy alive

My children have heard stories of their great-grandfather, who did not fear anyone and fought for farmers’ rights and went to jail. They are so inspired that they often say they would keep his legacy alive. — Gurtej Singh, Santa Singh’s grandson

After 82 years, great-grandsons of Sardar Santa Singh have joined the farmer protests in Jalandhar.

Like their great-grandfather, Gurshaan Singh (13) and Paramraaj (10) have also resolved to fight for the cause of farmers. “Mere dada ji kinne saal kisaana de hak layi lade si, te ajj mere bête vi ladan ge. Par kisaan da haal ajj vi ohi e’ (My grandfather fought for the rights of farmers for years, and now my sons are doing the same. The condition of farmers remains unchanged),” Gurtej Singh, Sardar Santa Singh’s grandson, said.

A farmer from Mehatpur, Gurtej said his sons told him they wanted to join the protests. he said both his sons knew that nobody would purchase their crop if the farm Bills were passed.

Chiranjilal Kangniwal, a research scholar and librarian at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall, said Santa Singh had started the Kirti Kisan movement in Punjab after returning from abroad. 

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