Memorial will be built to Bhagat Singh, says governor

* Maqbool says Singh’s possessions will be displayed at the Lahore Museum

Staff Report

LAHORE: A memorial for Bhagat Singh will be built and his possessions will be rehabilitated and displayed at the museum after research, Governor Lt Gen (r) Khalid Maqbool told a seminar held to celebrate Singh’s upcoming 100th birth anniversary at the Diyal Singh Research and Cultural Auditorium on Saturday.

The seminar, titled Birth Centenary of Bhagat Singh, was organised by the Diyal Singh Research and Cultural Forum (DSRCF). Maqbool said Singh had introduced the new image of freedom when he raised his voice for the empowerment of the people instead of foreign rulers. He said, “Singh was the first martyr of the subcontinent and his example was followed by many youth of the time.”

The governor said Pakistan had paid attention to the protection and care of gurdwaras, adding that a road from Wagah border to Nankana Sahib would be completed before the Nankana Festival. He said the government had renovated the Katas Temple. He said, “I welcome the Indian guests and invite them to live here and observe the government’s arrangements for the accommodation of Sikh pilgrims in the country.”

DSRCF director Dr Zafar Cheema said Maulana Zafar Ali Khan had given Singh the title ‘Shaheed’ for his services to the nation.

Makhan Singh Kohar, an Indian delegate, said that though Singh was a Sikh, he had not represented any religion when he struggled for the freedom of his countrymen.

Dr Gulzar Singh Pandheer, another Indian delegate, said Singh’s birth anniversary would be celebrated on September 27. He demanded that the biography of Bhagat Singh be written in all major languages of the world. Dr Syed Akhtar Jafri of the Shalimar College said Sikh Dev was Singh’s fellow and they were both hanged on the same day. He said, “We should celebrate Dev’s birth anniversary too.”

Bhagat Singh was born at Faisalabad’s 105 GB Banga village in 1907 and was hanged at the Lahore Jail in 1931 at the age of 24. The English ruler of the time hanged Singh after accusing him of involvement in a bomb blast at the Punjab Assembly.

Muhammad Iqbal Virk claimed on the occasion that he owned the property earlier owned by Bhagat Singh. He said that he wanted to display his collection of Singh’s possessions at the Lahore Museum.

Other Indian speakers at the seminar included Dr S Tarseem, former professor of the Government College Lahore, Dr Harpreet Singh Bhandari and Dr Jasbeer Core.

Home | National