Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Saturday released a book ‘Dastan-E-Ludhiana’ penned by Mohammad Usman Rehmani Ludhianvi on the freedom fighters associated with Ludhiana and its history, at Sahir Auditorium, SCD Government College, here.Accompanied by Shahi Imam Maulana Habib ur Rehman Sani Ludhianvi, nephew of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Abhay Singh Sandhu, Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu, Pritpal Singh Pali from Gurudwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib, and several others, in Sahir Auditorium, Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that the book would keep the youth of the state in general and Ludhiana particularly abreast about the life of the martyrs and great sons of soil belonging to the district.He said that this first ever book on this topic comprises details of Ludhiana residents in Jang-E-Azaadi (freedom struggle) from 1857 to 1947.He said that the life and sacrifice of these great martyrs would ever act as a beacon for inspiring the youth to do selfless service for the country.He said that such books were need of the hour to keep the flame of nationalism and patriotism alive amongst us, especially the youth.
He told that it was all the more important to make the younger generations aware of the hardships faced by our great freedom fighters for the sake of emancipating the country from the yoke of foreign imperialism.He said that it was a matter of great pride and satisfaction for all of us that the Punjabis especially Ludhianavis were at the forefront of the Indian freedom struggle and a maximum number of freedom fighters who were either hanged or exiled hailed from the state.The Minister said that the book has detailed chapters about the life and sacrifices of legendry freedom fighter belonging to Ludhiana included Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, Satguru Ram Singh Ji, Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar besides the history of the Ludhiana, Lodhi Fort, Railway station, first police post, first bitumen road, the day first MC came into existence, first telephone connection, first school and other interesting facts related with Ludhiana.Ashu thanked Usman Rehmani for his exceptional work in collecting historic details associated with Ludhiana which would ever enlighten the youths. He said book-writing is never a cakewalk and what Usman Rehmani has mentioned in the book, was a herculean task.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Muhammad Mustkeem, Principal SCD Government College Dr Dharam Singh Sandhu, Yogesh Handa, Ramanjit Singh Lali, Jasdev Singh Sekhon, Jatinder Bedi, Ashwani Bhalla, Sandeep Puri, besides several others.