Lala Lajpat Rai an undaunted hero of the freedom movement was paid rich homage today on his 150th Birth Anniversary. The political leaders, members of the civil society and non-political organizations hailed the proclamation made by Prof. Bhim Singh declaring Lala Lajpat Rai as Mahabharat Ratan. Prof. Bhim Singh, Chief Patron of National Panthers Party and Member of National Integration Council had announced 20 Mahabharat Ratans on the 117th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chander Bose which included Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Netaji Subhash Chander Bose, Sardar Bhagat Singh, Rani Jhansi, Tipu Sultan, Shah Zafar, Asfaqullah Khan, Rajguru, Chander Shekhar, General Zorawar Singh, Kunwar Singh, Khudi Ram Bose, Mohd. Ali Johar, Shokat Ali Johar, Sardar Udham Singh among others.
Prof. Bhim Singh said that 43 Bharat Ratans were declared by the Central Govt. ignoring those who had fought for the freedom of the country and died for the freedom of the country. They were ignored by the Govt. He said this was in response and wishes of 1.20 billion people of the country that these 20 heroes who were the greatest martyrs have been declared as Mahabharat Ratans. Lala Lajpat Rai while leading a protest against the Simon Commission and the denouncing Jallianwala massacre was lathicharged and killed by British police on November 17, 1928. He was elected as a President of Indian National Congress in 1920 yet the Congress did not care to shower the real honour on these great Mahabharat Ratans. The prominent among those who participated included Rajiv Jolly Khosla, Sukhwinder Singh Siddhu, Dildar Hussain (President, Rashtriya Muslim Ekta Manch), Sushil Khanna (Bhim Brigade), Manmohan Singh Bedi, Kishore Sharma, Gyan Singh Gyan, Rohit Singh, Advocate D. Vidyanandam, Asma and others.