Neglect of role of Sikh freedom fighters from Andaman’s narrative rocks Lok Sabha

5 Dariya News

Chandigarh 11-Apr-2017

The neglect of Punjabi freedom fighters in general and the Sikhs in particular in the narrative of Andaman, known as Kala Pani, rocked the Lok Sabha today with MP from Anandpur Sahib and Akali Dal general secretary Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra today demanding space and recognition to them proportionate to their contribution.Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anant Kumar assured him  that the role of in Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular just could not be ignored. He said he would get all the details and the one hour light and sound programme that is staged in cellular jail in the evening at Andaman would be reviewed accordingly.Raising the issue during zero hour, Prof Chandumajra referred to the article published in a Punjabi daily from Chandigarh penned by a senior journalist pointing out  glaring lapses at cellular jail turned into museum. He tabled the newspaper clipping on the table of the Lok Sabha.He said the Sikhs had made the maximum sacrifices for the freedom of the country but it was unfortunate that their contribution had not been fully recognised.He pointed out that Punjabi freedom fighters from across the ideological spectrum including from the Ghadar Party, Komagata Maru, Akali Dal and Babbar Akalis were sentenced to Kala Pani for various terms and they faced worst of torture like other prisoners. Andaman was turned into penal settlement by the British authorities.Prof Chandumajra called for correcting the distortions and skewed narrative so that every section got due representation. He said it was tragic that the role of the Sikhs virtually stood deleted from the narrative of cellular jail that was given the status of a national monument in 1979.