Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Patiala, September 10: Former Punjab Deputy Speaker Birdevinder Singh today blasted Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh saying with his strange antithesis, he has preposterously discolored the glory of the commemorative function to observe the Battle of Saragarhi Day, by unnecessarily creating raged controversies on inappropriately refusing to declare the visiting Army Officers from Britain as state guests for the Saragarhi Day, being held in Ferozepur on September 12, which he himself has declared to be observed as State level function.
He said the 120th year commemorative State level function, honoring 21 martyrs of the Battle of Saragarhi is being organized by the State Government at Ferozepur, because all the 21 Sikh non-commissioned officers and soldiers who laid down their lives in the Battle of Saragarhi were from the Ferozeur district of Punjab. Which is why a memorial dedicated to the martyrs of the Saragarhi was erected at Ferozepur in the form of Saragarhi Gurdwara . It must be recalled with great dignity that all the 21 soldiers were posthumously awarded the Indian Order of Merit, the highest gallantry award of that time, which an Indian soldier could receive by the hands of the British Crown, the corresponding gallantry award being Victoria Cross, for their heroic valor shown in the battle field. This award is equivalent to today’s Parm Vir Chakra awarded by the President of India. The Battle of Saragarhi, fought before the Tirah Campaign on 12 September 1897, between Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army and Pashtun Orakzai tribesmen. The battle of Saragarhi occurred in the North-West Frontier Province, which is now in Pakistan.
Strangely enough the Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh is away to London (England) on this commemorative day, with his whole paraphernalia of courtiers in connection with the launch of his book- “The 36th Sikhs in the Tirah Campaign 1897-98 : Saragarhi and the Defence of Samana Forts” recalling the details of the Battle of Saragarhi. On the other hand the British Army officers are coming to Ferozepur (Punjab) to pay homage to the martyred Sikh soldiers on Saragarhi Day. One wonders why Capt. Amarinder Singh has chosen to go to London for his book launch, whereas the ideal venue for this purpose would have been the Memorial of the Battle of Saragarhi at Ferozpur, where he should have dedicated his Book written on the Battle of Saragarhi in the presence of the families of the Martyrs of Saragarhi. This could have been a befitting tribute to the soldiers and above all, his presence as Chief Minister on this historic event would have enhanced the dignity of the occasion. Otherwise it sound absolutely bizarre to hold State level functions; where neither the executive head of the State the Chief Minister is present, nor the constitutional head of the State, the Governor is present. Capt. Amarinder Singh may like to explain this unique preposterousness of his state craft and also his wisdom in choosing Britain as destination for his book launch, ignoring the preferred historical relevance of Saragarhi Memorial at Ferozepur.
He said the Chief Minister should have readily accepted the proposal of the MLA from Ferozepur Mr. Parminder Singh Pinki to declare the visiting Army Officer from Britain as state guests. Chief Miniser’s office should have communicated to the Army authority of the area with the request to adequately reciprocate the gesture of the Army officers from Britain. I would therefore appeal the State Government to rectify the chilling error of refusing to declare the visiting Army Officer from Britain as state guests for the Saragarhi Day being held in Ferozepur on September 12. It is never too late to realize the mistake and make suitable amends with grace.
