Not enough, say kin of World War 1 veterans

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 21

While the descendants of World War I veterans and martyrs were called from across the state at a state-level function, they were presented with just a ‘dushala’ and a memento each by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to honour the great soldiers. The event was organised at Maharaja Ranjit Singh War Museum to commemorate 100 years of World War I.

Several descendants of World War I veterans were honoured by the Senior Adviser to CM, Lt-Gen TS Shergill, who encouraged them while admiring their prized possessions, including medals, old letters, etc.

While the Chief Minister was eulogising the soldiers, remembering his visits to Europe and his own days in the Army, after honouring 15 descendants of veterans, a 90-year-old man was trying to seek permission from the security personnel to let him meet the CM. The nonagenarian, Mehar Singh, who is the nephew of Sepoy Beant Singh who had fought in the war, had come from Narur village of Kapurthala. He said he wanted to meet the CM and convey it to him that the memento was not of much use to the veterans, and the government should extend some financial help or pension to them instead. The CM should instead give them a ‘letter’ that can be of some benefit for them and their dependents, rather than just a memento. But for ‘security reasons’, he was not allowed get close to the CM. He returned disappointed.

Several other descendants voiced similar opinions. Darshan Singh, grandson of Sepoy Such Singh who attained martyrdom in Burma during the war, showed the letter issued by the British government. It reads: “He whom this scroll commemorates was numbered amongst those who, at the call of King and Country, left all that was dear to them, endured hardness, faced danger and finally passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others might live in freedom. Let those who come after see to it that his name is not forgotten - Sepoy Sucha Singh, 14th Sikhs.”

Such letters were also sent to the dependents of the soldiers in Punjabi also. Darshan Singh said many of the descendants of war veterans were now living in misery. “The government must make a provision for some kind of pension for them. Even the British government for whom the soldiers fought should recognise the sacrifices and provide some assistance to the families of the veterans,” he said.

One of the descendants said the British government had awarded land as an award to his grandfather, but that became part of Pakistan after Partition. No proper compensation for their lost land has been given to the family. The government should help in such matters, he said.  Kulwinder Singh from Amritsar said several descendants of martyrs were left abroad and they continued to live there. The British government should extend recognition to the descendants living abroad.  In fact, most mementos presented to the descendants of war veterans did not have the name of World War I soldiers. “It seems the government, instead of really helping us out, is treating this also as a political gimmick,” said Darshan Singh.