Covering Shaheed Udham Singh’s statue at Jallianwala Bagh with Ticket Booth and entry fee plan condemned
Ferozepur, January 14, 2020: The Kamboj community has drawn criticism of the action of government for imposing an entry ticket plan at Jallianwala Bagh and construction of a Ticket Booth covering the statue of Shaheed Udham Singh, in the name of renovation work.
Gurbhej Tibbi, spokesman of the Kamboj community has condemned the decisions of the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust destroying its heritage status. The covering of statute of Shaheed Udham Singh at the entry of Jallianwala Bagh, with ticket Booth is an insult to the martyr and imposing of an entry ticket is unfortunate, an effort to rub salt on our wounds as now the people have to buy a ticket to pay homage to martyrs.
Tibbi said, Prime Minister is the President of Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust and he should keep a check on the Committee involved in the work in the Bagh.
He said, Udham Singh, who bore the name Ram Mohammad Singh Azad then, was hanged in June 1940 for the murder of Michael O'Dwyer, the Lieutenant-Governor who presided over the brutal British suppression of the 1919 uprising in Punjab. Shaheed Udham Singh had taken the revenge for the atrocities on the Indians from the Britishers, by killing the General. The statue of Udham Singh was was installed at Jallianwala Bagh, as a mark of respect and covering the statue with ticket booth looks to be a political conspiracy.
Tibbi said, I had talked about this to the Deputy Commissioner and at the other concerned levels but in vain saying that it comes under the purview of Archeological Department. Even I spoke of Mukharjee, a trustee of the Memorial but the issue is being passed on to the other level. Now we will meet Director Usha Sharma at Chandigarh in this regard.
Demanding a representation of a member from the Kamboj community in the Trust, Tibbi said, we will protest at the national level in case our demands are not accepted.
Meanwhile, another trustee Tarlochan Singh, however, assured to cooperate with the Kamboj community on both issues.