Eulogising the family of martyr Dr Diwan Singh Kalepani for keeping his rich legacy alive by constructing a state-of-the-art museum here in his memory, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday said this act as a light house to inspire the future generations for infusing a spirit of patriotism, secularism and nationalism.
Addressing a public gathering after dedicating the Dr Diwan Singh Kalepani museum to the nation, the Chief Minister announced to earmark a budgetary provision of Rs 5.75 lakh in the annual budget of Cultural affairs department under a special scheme for the upkeep and maintenance of this memorial-cum-museum. He also conceded the demand of the family to give a grant in-aid of Rs 28 lakh for completion of on-going and carrying out other extension works, as required.
Badal lauded the contribution of Punjabis in the country’s freedom struggle despite the fact that they constitute two percent of nation’s total population and made over 80 per cent sacrifices to free their motherland from the yoke of British imperialism. He recalled that most of the patriots and freedom fighters, that were either executed, imprisoned for life or exiled, belonged to Punjab. “We the Punjabis have inherited the spirit of self sacrifice from our great gurus Sri Guru Arjan Dev, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur and Sri Guru Gobind Singh, who even sacrificed his entire family to safeguard the human rights and for the welfare of the mankind,” he said. The Chief Minister said that the state government has already planned to set up monuments in the memory of Baba Moti Ram Mehra at Fatehgarh Sahib, Bhai Jaita at Sri Anandpur Sahib, Bhagwan Valmiki at Sri Ram Tirath (Amritsar), Guru Ravi Dass at Khuralgarh (Hoshiarpur) under its flagship program to preserve our glorious cultural heritage. “We were already setting up Rs 200 crore Jang-e-Azadi memorial at Kartarpur to showcase the immense contribution of Punjabis in the nation’s freedom movement and a War Memorial at Amritsar to eulogise the rare saga of Indian soldiers who made supreme sacrifices to defend our country’s borders from the foreign aggression,”
he added.
Badal highly appreciated the initiative taken by the entire family of Dr Diwan Singh Kalepani especially his elder son Dr Mohinder Singh Kalepani who envisioned to perpetuate the rich legacy of his father so that the coming generations could remember the supreme sacrifice of this great martyr who was tortured to death by Japanese in Cellular jail at Port Blair. On the occasion, the Chief Minister offered to honour the family of Dr Diwan Singh Kalepani during the state level function on this Republic Day.
Dr Kalepani’s younger son Dr Harbans Singh Dhillon former Director World Health Organization, UNO expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for making this function a memorable. The grandson of Dr Kalepani, Dr (Capt) GS Dhillon Director and Principal Dalhousie Public School Dalhousie proposed a vote of thanks.
Chairperson of Dr Diwan Singh Kalepani Trust Gurdarshan Kaur Dhillon, former editor, Punjabi Tribune Gulzar Singh Sandhu, noted Punjabi poet Surjit Pattar, Gurinder Maan from University of California, Santa Barbara besides eminent personalities from different walks of life were also present.