Freedom fighter status for Jallianwala martyrs only on paper,say kin

Angered by this,the families united under the Jallianwala Bagh Shaheed Parivar Samittee that had been spearheading the battle for the status have shot off letters to the Centre and the state government. “It is disgusting that though we have been given certificates,it promises no privilege that is usually given to freedom fighters’ families,” said Bhushan Behl,chairman of the organisation.

On April 13,1919,a Baisakhi day,a peaceful gathering of hundreds was massacred on the orders of General O’Dwyer. But it was only earlier this year that the martyrs were declared freedom fighters. “Though the history has been corrected,after we waged a long battle with the government,real privileges still elude us. Our forefathers were massacred by the British. Why should they not be treated at par with other freedom fighters and extended the various privileges given to such persons,” asked Bhushan.

Apart from reservation in government jobs,the families want free bus and rail passes,usually enjoyed by freedom fighters’ families. They also want other facilities,such as priority in gas or petrol pump connections. Besides,they want one of their representatives to be included on the panel of Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust,headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“If we are included in the Trust,we will more enthusiastically take up the issue pertaining to the maintenance of Jallianwala Bagh that needs proper upkeep. We also want the martyrs’ names to be properly displayed on boards at the memorial. We are insulting the supreme sacrifice made by them by not doing so,” said Bhushan,adding that though lakhs of rupees were spent on the memorial recently,the real issues were never addressed.

Though the exact number of the martyrs had never been known — with the government records saying they were above 300 and the Congress’s then inquiry putting the figure at 530 — the samittee’s own probes concluded that 464 persons had died. “There are only 25 identified families at present who need to be declared beneficiaries,” says the complaint sent to Anil Goel,Joint Secretary,Freedom Fighters Cell (Union Ministry of Home Affairs),and Jagjit Puri,Freedom Fighter’s Cell,Government of Punjab,with a copy to Amritsar Deputy Commissioner K S Pannu.

Pannu,who had been instrumental in getting freedom fighter status for the martyrs,said there might be some anomalies and he would take up the matter with higher authorities.