Chandigarh, August 28
Describing the newly renovated Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial as a tribute to the martyrs and a symbol of inspiration for the youth, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said the monument must serve as a reminder for the future generations about the right of people to peaceful democratic protest.
- Also read: Jallianwala Bagh: Embossed figures, new-look well amp; more
- PM inaugurates renovated Jallianwala Bagh
- Farmers lathicharged after sit-in; many hurt in Amritsar
“
Testament to barbaric act
It is a symbol of non-violent freedom struggle. It is also a testament to one of the most barbaric acts of violence perpetrated on peacefully assembled people.
“
<!–
<!–
–>
In what was apparently an oblique reference to the ongoing agitation of the peacefully protesting farmers, the Chief Minister said the ‘smarak’, along with the Jallianwala Bagh centenary memorial recently dedicated to the people by the state government, should serve to remind leaders of the inalienable right of Indians to hold peaceful democratic protests, which could not be stifled, as the British also learnt from the Jallianwala Bagh incident.
“The ‘smarak’ and the centenary memorial “seek to pay tribute to the great martyrs so that history may always remember their sacrifice and our present and future generations can draw inspiration from their patriotism,” said the Chief Minister, in his brief remarks before PM Narendra Modi virtually dedicated the national memorial to the nation through the remote.
Captain Amarinder also requested the Prime Minister that the Government of India should make efforts to bring back the personal effects, i.e. pistol and diary of Shaheed Udham Singh, who avenged the injustice of this massacre, from the UK. He said he had written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in this regard.
The event was attended, among others, by several Union ministers, Governor, Leader of the Opposition and Jallianwala Bagh trustees, besides several MPs and MLAs. Families of the Jallianwala massacre martyrs were also present.
The occasion was marked by a two-minute silence in the memory of the martyrs, following the sounding of the bugle. Describing the memorial as “an everlasting symbol of non-violent and peaceful struggle for the freedom of India”, the Chief Minister said “at another level, it also stands testament to one of the most barbaric acts of violence and state oppression perpetrated on a group of peacefully assembled people”. — TNS
Jallianwala Bagh: Memorial to fallen protesters opens in new avatar
{$excerpt:n}
