Amritsar, August 17 (K.L. Jit Walia, Harpinder Soni): The Punjab Government organized a state-level event in Amritsar to commemorate the 117th martyrdom anniversary of the great revolutionary Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra. The event was held at the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Memorial, Gol Bagh, Amritsar.
Dr. Ravjot Singh, Cabinet Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, NRI Affairs and Prisons, attended the event as the chief guest. Public Works Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO, Amritsar Central MLA Dr. Ajay Gupta, Amritsar South MLA Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Amritsar East MLA Mrs. Jeevanjot Kaur and Baba Bakala Sahib MLA S. Dalbir Singh Tong were present as special guests.
The two Cabinet Ministers and the MLAs first paid floral tributes at the statue of Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra and remembered his supreme sacrifice.
Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia, Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Mrs. Pallavi Mishra, SDM Amritsar-1 Mrs. Alka Kalia, Deputy Mayor of Municipal Corporation Amritsar Priyanka Sharma, Aam Aadmi Party District President S. Sarabjot Singh Dhanjal, Jarnail Singh Dhot, AAP Legal Wing Majha Zone Chairman and Block President Advocate Harpal Singh Nijjar, Trade Commission East Constituency Chairman Kapil Chadha, MLA Jeevanjot Kaur’s PA Maninder Singh, Satpal Singh Sokhi, Councillor Vicky Dutta, District Media In-charge Satnam Singh Matharu and several other dignitaries were also present.
The successful organization of the state-level event was supported by Prof. Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, patron of the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Memorial and former minister, along with the memorial’s president Dr. Rakesh Sharma and Bibi Mala Chawla.
Addressing the gathering, Cabinet Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh conveyed Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s tribute to Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra and said that the country achieved independence because of the sacrifices made by its martyrs. He said that the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation and their families are an invaluable heritage and asset of the country. He urged the younger generation to draw inspiration from the path shown by the martyrs.
He said that millions of patriots and brave freedom fighters made sacrifices for India’s independence, due to which people are able to breathe in a free environment today. He added that it is also the collective responsibility of everyone to protect and preserve this freedom.
Dr. Ravjot Singh said that the Punjab Government would approach the British Government through the Government of India to bring back the belongings and memorabilia of Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra to his birthplace, Amritsar. He said special attention would be given to the beautification of the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Memorial and efforts would be made to include it on Amritsar’s tourism map so that more people can learn about the revolutionary’s great sacrifice.
On the occasion, MLA Dr. Ajay Gupta announced that he would donate his two months’ salary to the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Memorial.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, patron of the memorial and former minister, also demanded expansion of the museum established at the memorial of Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra, the illustrious son of Amritsar.
During the event, schoolchildren presented patriotic songs and a choreography performance. The Punjab Police Band also paid tribute to Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra by performing patriotic tunes in his memory.
Earlier, the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Memorial had organized another large event at Town Hall. Prof. Lakshmi Kanta Chawla, Dr. Rakesh Sharma and officials of the district administration paid floral tributes at the statue of Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra. The Punjab Police Band team also paid tribute to the martyr.
On the occasion, the district administration and the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Memorial Committee honoured both Cabinet Ministers, the MLAs and other guests by presenting them with mementoes. School students were also honoured with photographs of Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra and booklets highlighting his life and contribution.
KL JIT WALIA
