The echo of the supreme sacrifices by Punjab’s martyrs will soon be heard thousands of kilometres away with the Andaman and Nicobar authorities on Tuesday promising to name three roads in its Capital after them.
Besides, it has also assured to revisit the light and sound show, presented at the historic Cellular Jail, to include the role of Punjabis, especially the Sikh freedom-fighters.
Andaman and Nicobar’s lt Governor Jagdish Mukhi asserted that three roads in Port Blair would be named after Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Dr Diwan Singh Kalepani and Shaheed Madan lal Dhingra.
Besides, Mukhi said that the light and sound programme would be revisited within the next six months.
The assurance was made with the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee’s (SGPC) delegation, on tour to the islands, that interacted with him for more than an hour.
The delegation called for providing due space to the Punjabis in the narrative of Cellular Jail, commonly known as Kala Pani, at least in proportion to their contribution who suffered brutalities and torture at the hands of British colonizers.
Dr Diwan Singh was martyred by the Japanese who took over these islands during World War II, the delegation pointed.
The Sikh experts maintained that the role of the Punjabis has been, by and large, overlooked in the present narrative of the Cellular Jail, which is now the national museum.
The issue was also raised in the lok Sabha by Akali Dal MP from Anandpur Sahib Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra as a follow up to the media report that highlighted skewed presentation of the Cellular Jail narrative undermining the role of Punjabis.
Open to all suggestions. Mukhi said that the number of Punjabis who were deported to Cellular Jail was more than freedom fighters from any other region of the country. The perception so far is that the number of Bengali freedom fighters was the highest, he added.
The delegation pointed out that pictures of the freedom fighters, that were exhibited earlier in the main gallery, had been removed around six months back.
Mukhi assured to look into the “sensitive issue”. Earlier, the gallery started with the Sikh freedom fighters.
led by SGPC general secretary Amarjit Singh Chawla, the delegation included its executive member Surjit Singh Bhittewad, Additional secretary Harbhajan Singh Manawan, SGPC Director Education Dr Dharminder Singh Ubha, Dr Paramveer Singh from Punjabi University, senior journalist Jagtar Singh and Gurdarshan Singh Bahia.
The lt Governor invited suggestions and concrete proposals to be incorporated in the revised light and sound programme.
A memorandum was also submitted to him on behalf of Chandumajra by Jagtar Singh and Gurdarshan Singh Bahia.
Chandumajra had referred to the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar to him on the floor of the lok Sabha to review light and sound programme and the associated narrative.
The memorandum stated that this was a sensitive issue for the Punjabis. The Punjabi community was proud of the fact that it made maximum sacrifices for the freedom of the country. The land of Punjab produced Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh.
Going by the record available, out of 121 freedom fighters who courted gallows, 93 were Sikhs. Similarly, out of 2,646 freedom fighters sentenced to life imprisonment, no less than 2,147 were again Sikhs.
He regretted that the same was not being effectively reflected in the narrative there that includes, besides the exhibition halls, the light and sound programme. Moreover, several names of freedom fighters like those from Babbar Akalis are missing from the record.