Tributes paid to ex-minister Master Gurbanta Singh on 41st death anniv

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 5

Former Agriculture Minister of Punjab Master Gurbanta Singh was paid rich tributes on his 41st death anniversary at his native Dhaliwal village today.

On this occasion, his son MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary and grandsons Kartarpur MLA Surinder Singh Chaudhary and former Punjab Youth Congress chief Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary held an Akhand Path.

Describing Master Gurbanta Singh as a messiah of the marginalised and downtrodden, MP Chaudhary stated that Late Master Gurbanta Singh was known as a great social reformer, educationist, able administrator and the tallest Dalit leader of Punjab.

Former minister and Markfed chairman Amarjit Singh Samra highlighted Master Gurbanta Singh’s contribution in bringing Green Revolution. He said it was during his tenure as an Agriculture Minister in Partap Singh Kairon’s government that the foundation of Green Revolution was laid with the establishment of Punjab Agricultural University and other institutions.

Former minister, MP and Punjab State Board of Technical Education and Industrial Training chairman Mohinder Singh Kaypee said Master Gurbanta Singh started his political career in 1932, when society was badly gripped by the evil of casteism, adding that he along with his associates Babu Mangoo Ram and others started a revolutionary tirade against these divisive forces under the aegis of Ad-dharam Mandal, Jalandhar, and led a historic struggle for eradication of untouchability and inequality from our society.

Master Gurbanta Singh was first elected to the Assembly of United Punjab in 1945 and remained a member till 1977. He was so popular amongst the people that he was declared elected unopposed in 1972 Vidhan Sabha elections. He remained in the Council of Ministers of Khizar Hayyat Khan Tiwana Government before Partition, then in Partap Singh Kairon and Giani Zail Singh Governments, during which he held various portfolios.

He got abolished the law which debarred the SC community from purchasing land in their name known as ‘Mutation Land Act’. He worked to get government’s vacant lands allotted to the members of the SCs, to appoint SC Nambardar in every village, for arrangement of stipends and scholarships for SC Students in schools and colleges, reservation in service for employment and promotion for SCs, loans on nominal interest to purchase land and establish small scale industries and made law for the SCs to have share in the joint pool for village common land.