Martyrdom Day of Brig Rajinder Singh, MVC, the Saviour of Kashmir was observed at Rajinder Singh Chowk, behind New Secretariat Jammu today with great elegance and fervour.Rich homage and tributes were paid to 'Hero of Jammu & Kashmir' by all sections of society to include Army, Police, civil administration and social organisations.
School children from Fauji Public School and other schools of Jammu also attended the function.A ceremonial Guard of the Army (7 JAK RIF) was presented with full military honour to Brig Rajinder Singh, MVC. Apart from the floral tributes, numerous cultural items were presented by J&K Academy of Arts Culture & Languages under Sanjeev Rana and Fauji Public School of J&K Ex-Services League (JKESL).
Ravi Kant as the 'Master of Ceremony recounted the Tale of Valour' of Brig Rajinder Singh, MVC.Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu Zone was the Chief Guest, while Maj Gen Neeraj Gosain, SM, GOC Jammu Division and Maj Gen VS Sekhon, YSM, GOC Akhnoor Division were the 'Guests of Honour' and Ramesh Kumar ,Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Chander Mohan Gupta, Ex-Mayor, Th Gulchain Singh Charak, President Dogra Sadar Sabha and Dr. SP Verma, President Gandhi Global Family J&K were the 'Special Guests'.
Dr Akshay Sharma, Corporator and SSP Traffic were also present to pay tributes.Speaking on the occasion, Mukesh Singh said that today “We are celebrating this day in Jammu only due to the action of Brigadier Rajinder Singh in 1947 when he saved Jammu and Kashmir against the invasion by Pakistan.”
He further said that Jammu Region is the land of Gallant Soldiers in which Brigadier Rajinder Singh stands out. He complimented the League and the JAK Rifles and the Civil Administration for making it a great occasion.
While paying tribute to one of the greatest warriors of Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of his Martyrdom Day, he thanked the League and the Army for organizing this function every year and assured that this function will now be held jointly by the J&K Government with the League and the Army.
He also advised the youth to read about the History of Military in J&K. “Now a book is available on the History of the Jammu and Kashmir Operations, you must read the book and also make it a habit to glorify the History & Heritage,” he added.
Lt Gen R K Sharma, AVSM, SM, President J&K Ex-Services League, speaking on the occasion, said that but for the 'Gallant Action & Sacrifice' of Brig Rajinder Singh, MVC, India would have lost its Crown and the geography of India would have been different.’
He further narrated the 'Saga of Valour of Brig Rajinder Singh in brief and brought out its significance. He said that 'Battle of Uri' is comparable to the great battles of the world like Battle of Saragarhi and Battle of Thermopylae.
He appealed to LG and State Administration that MVC of Brig Rajinder Singh should be elevated to PVC, the History of J&K should be a separate chapter included in the school syllabus and a J&K Heritage Centre/Memorial should be made next to the existing Balidan Stambh with an underground Heritage Museum.
Maj Gen Goverdhan Singh Jamwal, AVSM, Chief Patron JKESL was also present on the occasion and spoke on the occasion.Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Th Gulchain Singh Charak, President Dogra Sadar Sabha also spoke about balidan of Brig Rajinder Singh, MVC