Punjab’s commendable effort to give martyr Bhagat Singh due respect

October 1, 2025

Abhishek Vij

Whenever we speak of Punjab’s contribution to the freedom struggle, we remember Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. Martyr Bhagat Singh shot Colonel Saunders, then awakened the sleeping British govern-ment by throwing a bomb in the Assembly, kept the flame of revolution alive, and finally, along with his comrades Rajguru and Sukhdev, attained martyrdom.

Their sole goal was to liberate India from centuries of slavery, to break the shackles of Mother India’s subjugation, and to make India a country where the status of the poor and the rich is equal. For these lofty ideals, Bhagat Singh’s bravery in his youthful years embraced the gallows, a feat unmatched anywhere in the world. Not just in Punjab, but every In-dian youth considers Martyr Bhagat Singh their role model.

But Punjab has had a grievance, and Indian youth have been dissatisfied, that Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s sacrifice has not been given due respect, ei-ther at the government or the historical level. Why does British history consider such a great personality a rebel? He is indeed a martyr. When the Aam Aadmi Party, led by Bhagwant Mann, assumed power in Punjab, the Chief Minister pledged to give Bhagat Singh’s birthplace, Khatkar Kalan, the proper honor. It was announced that its neglect would end.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann not only paid tribute to Sha-heed Bhagat Singh on his birthday in Khatkar Kalan on Sunday, but also announced that a 100-foot-high tricolor flag would be hoisted in his ancestral village, Khatkar Kalan, so that future generations of the country would continue to draw inspiration from his immortal sacrifice. He said that no history can ig-nore Khatkar Kalan. The Punjab government will construct a heritage complex at this site, which will be a place of respect and reverence for all.This work has already begun in full swing. It will cost Rs 51.70 crore. The national flag that will be hoisted at this site will be 20 feet by 30 feet. The Chief Minister said that those who broke the shackles of slavery of foreign imperialism in India must be honored. If we honor them, future generations will draw inspiration from them. The great vision that Bhagat Singh left behind in his diaries at the age of 22 should be an immortal text for the youth.

The Chief Minister said that a grand geometric gate from this memorial will connect the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Museum to his ances-tral home. A 350-meter-long heritage lane will run in between. Its walls will be adorned with sculptures, 2D and 3D paintings, and statues depicting India’s struggle for independence during the colonial era. A 700-seat auditorium will also be built. A model of Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s ancestral home in Lyallpur will be created. The site, located in Khatkar Kalan, will be safely restored. If this work is fully completed, it will undoubtedly be a memorial to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, the leader of the country’s great revolutionary movement, that people will come from far and wide to see.

The idea of preserving the memory of the great martyr is commendable. We believe that wherever such memorials are built, educational institu-tions should be established for teaching, research, and dissemination, where classes on these great fig-ures should be offered to the new generation. Why not introduce an additional diploma in the examina-tions for this purpose? This idea can certainly prove to be a commendable step in connecting the young-er generation with the legacy of their martyrs.