Punjab Government’s decision to pronounce Sarabjit Singh a martyr within days of his death, has given birth to a seemingly eternal discussion on who is to be declared a sufferer for a cause.
Amidst demands from other victims to have them declared as martyrs too, the Punjab Government is finding itself in a sufferer’s position trying to justify its decision.
In the process, one thing has clearly emerged — the absence of a criteria to declare a victim martyr. Even so, politicians, cutting across the party lines, insisted that the decision to declare Sarabjit a ‘national martyr’ is right.
While the Opposition Congress has blamed the ruling combine for indulging in “cheap competitive politics” over a dead man, the ruling combine is trying to justify the move.
Questioning the rationale behind bestowing Martyr status to Sarabjit, the radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa has already criticised the Punjab Government and had asked it to make clear to the people about the contribution of deceased Sarabjit Singh towards the State.
“On what grounds his mortal remains were cremated with full state honour and also announcing Rs1 crore from public exchequer for his family,” wondered Dal Khalsa president HS Dhami.
He maintained that as claimed by the Indian State, Sarabjit was not sent to Pakistan on official duty. “How come he be credited with State honour and how can State announce a three-day mourning,” he queried.
Congress spokesperson and former MlA Sukhpal Khaira maintained that Martyr status should be given to those who laid their lives for the nation.
“Though the Congress party does not condemn giving Martyr status to Sarabjit, but his issue was totally politicised by the Akali Dal considering the media hype given to the issue,” he said.
He blamed Badals for “first not helping Sarabjit by using their contacts and good relations in Pakistan to save him, and then indulging in cheap politics”.
Contrarily, Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma justified, “Sarabjit was given Martyrs' status as he fought a battle against the Pakistan authorities for 23 years. His brutal killing after languishing in jail for two decades has given him Martyr’s status…the entire nation was anguished over his death.”
However, he admitted that there is not any set criteria for declaring a martyr.
His party colleague and former Cabinet Minister Manoranjan Kalia asserted that the criteria for declaring a martyr “changes with circumstances”.
“Before independence, who fought with Britishers were Martyrs, and then the soldiers who died in battles after independence were given martyr status. Third case, in Punjab, was of those who fought against militancy during terrorism days,” Kalia told The Pioneer.
Kalia went on to add, “Pakistan has been indulging in proxy wars with India, by feeding terrorists, creating disturbances here, as it knew that it cannot win direct battle with us. Now, killing an Indian prisoner Sarabjit is another step in that direction. He deserves to be declared as Martyr.” With the Punjab Government yet to have any comprehensive list of Martyrs, and also the guidelines to declare ones, many people have been coming forward to stake their claim on the status, and the benefits attached to it, on the lines of Sarabjit Singh.
Several former spies have been demanding the Indian Government to at least provide them with financial assistance for contributing for the country by sacrificing their “valuable years” of life.
Alike Sarabjit, Jammu’s Chamel Singh had gone missing from his fields adjoining the Pakistan border, he was accused for his involvement in an espionage case, he was “killed” in lahore’s Kot lakhpat jail — but remained just another Indian prisoner in Pak jail.
Seeing importance given to Sarabjit, his family is now demanding Martyr status for Chamel Singh. In fact, the Bharatiya Janta Party has also raised the demand for giving his family financial assistance too.
Chamel Singh, who hailed from a border village of Pargwal in Akhnoor of Jammu, was beaten to death in Kot lakhpat jail on January 15 this year and his body was brought back here on March 13.