Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today paid floral tributes to legendary martyr and a companion of Shaheed-e-Aazam Sardar Bhagat Singh, Shri Shiv Ram Hari Rajguru at his birthplace in Pune (Maharashtra) and announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for beautifying the locality on his name. The Chief Minister, who was on tour to Maharashtra till June 10 as he would be bestowed Shiromani Sant Namdev Puraskar on Wednesday, met the progeny of the iconic revolutionary who along with Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev Thapar sacrificed his life at the altar of national freedom struggle. He said that the life and struggle of this young trio had inspired millions of youth to wage a war against the mighty British Raj thereby leading to the freedom of the country. Announcing a grant of Rs 10 lakh for the beautification of Rajguru Nagar, Mr. Badal said that it was a humble tribute from the Punjabis to this great icon of Indian national movement, who was equally admired by every child in Punjab along with Shaheed-e-Aazam Sardar Bhagat Singh.
Likewise, the Chief Minister, while paying tribute to Chief architect of Indian constitution Baba Saheb Dr BR Ambedkar, announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for Ambedkar Nagar adjacent to Rajguru Nagar. Mr. Badal said that it was a matter of pride for all of us that the sacred land of Maharashtra had produced this great messiah of downtrodden and underprivileged sections, who changed their fortune through the magic wand of education. He said that Dr. Ambedkar had always encouraged the democratic values in every field, be it social, economic and political besides advocating equal status and respect for all.Listing the efforts being made by the Punjab government to perpetuate the glorious legacy of such leaders who had sacrificed everything for the sake of their motherland, the Chief Minister said that the state government was constructing Jang-e-Azaadi Memorial at Kartarpur near Jalandhar to showcase the immense contribution of freedom fighters in the national freedom struggle.
Likewise, he said that state-of-the-art War Heroes' Memorial-cum-Museum was being constructed at Amritsar over seven acres of land on the Amritsar-Attari Road, to recognize and showcase the supreme sacrifices made by the soldiers while serving in the Armed forces thereby upholding their supreme gallantry values.Recalling the age old ties between Marathas and Punjabis, the Chief Minister said that both the communities shared a rich bond of traditions amongst themselves adding that one of the common features between both of them was that they highly revered their martyrs who had laid down life for the sake of their motherland. Mr. Badal said that like Punjab, the state of Maharashtra was equally revered by every Punjabi especially the Sikh as tenth Guru of Sikhs Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji breathed his last at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib (Nanded) in Maharashtra. The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema.