A state level function to celebrate the Birth Anniversary of veteran Akali leader Master Tara Singh was organised, here today. Dr Charanjit Singh Atwal, speaker, Vidhan Sabha, Punjab and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Education Minister, Punjab were the chief guests on the occasion. This function was organised jointly by the Punjab Government and Panth Rattan Shriman Master Tara Singh Yaadgari Trust.While speaking on the occasion, Dr Charanjit Singh Atwal credited Master Tara Singh with shaping the destiny of the Sikhs during partition of the country in 1947. He said that Master Tara Singh was the only leader who brought up the Panthic agenda at the national level and forced the government to include Sikhs as the third party in negotiations during the pre-partition period.
He said that Master Tara Singh was the leader who played an important role for the inclusion of Sikhs in Scheduled Castes. He said that Master Tara Singh always worked above personal gains and kept the party before his personal life. Dr Atwal thanked the Punjab government and former Minister Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria for choosing Ludhiana city for organising this state level function.Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said that he salutes the contribution of Master Tara Singh for Sikh Panth as well as Shiromani Akali Dal. Dr Cheema said that it is only during the tenure of Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janta Party led government that birth anniversaries of prominent personalities are being celebrated. He said that even memorials are being set up in the state but the Congress led governments never focussed on constructing memorials in the memory of Sikh leaders.
Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee member and Granddaughter of Master Tara Singh, Bibi Kiranjot Kaur said that either the Punjab government should construct a memorial of Master Tara Singh in the state or it should rename a prominent institution on his name. She also appreciated that this time, Punjab Government organised the state-level function in association with Panth Rattan Shriman Master Tara Singh Yaadgari Trust.District Planning Board chairman and former Minister Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria welcomed the public which came in large numbers to attend the state level function. He also thanked Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal for celebrating Master Tara Singh's birth anniversary as a state level function.
Several prominent personalities were also honoured on the occasion. Prominent among those present on the occasion former SGPC president Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar, Istri Akali Dal president Bibi Jagir Kaur, Panth Rattan Shriman Master Tara Singh Yaadgari Trust President Kulwant Singh Dukhiya, SGPC member Amarjit Singh Chawla, Punjab BC Commission vice chairman Mr Nirmal Singh SS, SAD District President Mr Madan Lal Bagga, former vice chancellor GNDU Dr SP Singh, Senior BJP leader Mr Parveen Bansal, Deputy Commissioner Mr Ravi Bhagat, besides several others were also present.