City holds events in memory of Bhagat Singh on Martyr’s Day

While the Delhi government organised cultural programmes on revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on Tuesday, to mark his death anniversary (also observed as Martyr’s Day in the country), the farmers at Delhi borders drew parallels between the current agitation and the freedom struggle, and a Delhi college invited people to attend an Urdu storytelling (dastangoi) session on the revolutionary leader, to pay homage to the iconic leader.

On March 23, 1931, three freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru were executed by the British for “conspiring against the Crown”..

The Delhi government also organised a Shaheed Diwas function in Connaught Place on Tuesday to commemorate the contributions of Singh to the freedom struggle. HT had earlier reported how the Delhi Archives was putting up photo galleries and a light and sound show at Central Park to mark the day.

“Through this light and sound show, I want all of you to become familiar with patriots such as Shaheed Bhagat Singh. During India’s freedom movement, there were two schools of thought. One, which used to appease the British rulers for their own benefits and was against the growth of India and, two, which wanted equal rights and freedom for all,” said Delhi minister Gopal Rai.

“Today, the British are gone, but there is another type of autocratic power in India. Today, we have a government that puts nails in front of farmers and is scared of students, farmers, labourers and others. We need to learn from Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru and others on how we can fight against an arrogant and autocratic power,” he said.

The farmers at Delhi borders marked the day at the protest sites in Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur. “Women leaders from Haryana reminded us of how Singh had warned us that the country would not get freedom only by the British leaving the country; that this country would be truly independent only when the exploitation of farmers and labourers ends,” said Harmeet Singh Kadiyan, a member of Samyukta Kisan Morcha.

Soil was collected from historical places associated with martyrs -- Sunam, Khatkadkalan, Shri Anandpur Sahib, Shri Fatehgarh Sahib, Sarabha, Jallianwala Bagh, Hussainiwala, Shri Chamkaur Sahib -- and brought to Singhu and Tikri borders.

Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ also paid homage to freedom fighters at an event organised by Delhi University. Singh was imprisoned for a day in the basement of DU’s Vice Regal Lodge.

“The University of Delhi opened a library and a research centre in the same room where the writings of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and works of scholars on him are displayed,” Pokhriyal said, stressing on the need of more events that instil pride among youngsters.