Martyr status sought for Bhagat Singh, associates

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 11

The US-based North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has demanded martyr status for Bhagat Singh and his fellow freedom fighters Rajguru, Sukhdev and Udham Singh.

NAPA executive director Satnam Singh Chahal, in a press release issued here today, said there was a great resentment among the Punjabi diaspora against the Central Government for not providing the martyr status to Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his fellow freedom fighters.

While warning the Narendra Modi-led Central Government, he said if the government would continue to turn a deaf ear to this demand, the BJP would have to pay the price in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections as there was anger among the Punjabi community in the country and abroad.

Chahal said it was unfortunate that the demand was being taken up for the past several years, but the Centre was not ready to listen to the voice of people.

He said the Centre must declare Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Udham Singh as martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the country. MPs and legislators receive various benefits from the government while families of freedom fighters had not been given any support. The demand has come from relatives of Bhagat Singh who were participating in a dharna at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday to demand a martyr status for him and freedom fighters Rajguru, Sukhdev and Udham Singh.

Bhagat Singh’s nephews Kiranjeet Singh and Abhay Singh Sandhu and Sandhu’s wife Tejwinder Kaur were also present.