Terror victims pay homage to former Chief Minister Beant Singh in Punjab

Activists of the local unit of the All India Anti-Terrorist Front paid floral tributes to former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh on his martyrdom day here on Sunday.

All India Anti-Terrorist Organisation general secretary Sahib Singh and Punjab general secretary Pawan Saini were present on the occasion. Members and office-bearers of the organisation raised slogans of “Beant Singh Amar Rahe” while paying tributes to the former Chief Minister.

Addressing the gathering, Sahib Singh and Pawan Saini said Beant Singh was born on February 19, 1922, in Lahore and had served in the Army after completing his education. He later rose from village sarpanch to CM of Punjab, taking charge when the state was in the grip of militancy.

They said innocent civilians, security personnel and their families were being targeted by terrorists during the period. Beant Singh, along with then minister Maninderjit Singh Bitta, Punjab DGP KPS Gill and leaders of various political parties, worked to restore peace and stability in the state.

They said political leaders and security personnel had to pay a heavy price for their efforts and sacrifices. Beant Singh was assassinated in a human-bomb blast outside the Punjab Civil Secretariat on August 31, 1995. Several other people were also killed in the attack.

The speakers said the sacrifices of Beant Singh, security personnel and others who laid down their lives for the country could never be forgotten.

They further alleged that several religious organisations and political parties were demanding the release of terrorists for their own interests. They claimed that terrorists and gangsters based in countries such as Canada, Germany, the US and Pakistan continued to attempt to smuggle explosives, drugs and weapons into India through drones to foment terrorism.