Govt ignored Sukhdev, Rajguru in holiday notification: Trust

Tribune News Service

Harshraj Singh

Ludhiana, March 23

On the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, a ‘hawan yagya’ was organised at the ancestral home (birthplace) of martyr Sukhdev Thapar at Mohalla Naughara here on Wednesday for paying tributes to the martyrs.

The hawan was organised by family members of martyr Sukhdev Thapar and members of the All India Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar Memorial Trust. Along with residents, politicians from different parties paid tributes at the statue of martyr Sukhdev Thapar.

On the occasion, members of the All India Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar Memorial Trust, however, expressed disappointment over the state government for allegedly ignoring Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar.

A family member of martyr Sukhdev and president of the Trust, Ashok Thapar, blamed the Punjab Government for ignoring martyrs Sukhdev Thapar and Rajguru as their names were not mentioned along with the name of Shaheed Bhagat Singh in the notification issued by the state government to declare gazetted holiday on their martyrdom day on March 23.

He said, “The Punjab Government’s notification reads that the gazetted holiday is declared on the martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. But, we want to remind the Punjab Government that Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar were martyred together. The government should not ignore the names and contributions of Rajguru and Sukhdev. It is martyrdom day of the trio who were hanged together.”

Ashok Thapar said the state government even did not send any invitation to family members of Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar for state-level functions to mark the martyrdom day of the martyrs.

Meanwhile, the Trust members demanded from the state government to display the statues and photos of martyrs Rajguru and Sukhdev along with statues and photos of Shaheed Bhagat Singh as they were together. They said the previous governments had also ignored martyr Sukhdev Thapar’s birthplace. The ancestral home of the martyr is crying for repair and attention. Even the successive governments had failed to waive the electricity bill of the martyr’s home.

Another member of the Trust Tribhuvan Thapar said, “We have been demanding from the governments to make a direct way to the martyr’s birthplace in Mohalla Naughara from Chaura Bazar, Ludhiana, but the process is hanging fire. Moreover, we want that the repair of the martyr’s ancestral home and beautification of the area outside should be ensured at the earliest. We want all these works should be completed before martyr Sukhdev’s birth anniversary on May 15. Also, CM Bhagwant Mann should visit Sukhdev’s ancestral home on the coming birth anniversary of the martyr.”

AAP MLAs give assurance

Four AAP MLAs — Ashok Parashar Pappi from Ludhiana Central, Kulwant Singh Sidhu from Atam Nagar, Rajinderpal Kaur Chhina from Ludhiana South and Daljit Singh (Bhola) Grewal from Ludhiana East constituency — visited Sukhdev Thapar’s birthplace and paid tributes to the martyr. AAP MLAs assured the Trust members that required steps would be taken for making a direct way to the martyr’s birthplace from Chaura Bazar and his house would be repaired soon.

AAP MLA Daljit Singh (Bhola) Grewal said, “We will raise demands of family members of Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar before Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Our government will take the necessary steps for making a direct way to the martyr’s birthplace and ensure the repair of the home. Besides, we will raise demand for installing pictures and statues of martyrs Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev together.”

Meanwhile, BJP and Congress leaders also visited Sukhdev Thapar’s birthplace and paid tributes to the martyrs.

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