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| Does rank matter for remembering Martyrs? | | |
Mahadeep Singh Jamwal
Surely martyrs, irrespective of the special phase of the divine idea for which they gladly give up their bodies to torture and to death, are the truest heroes of history. When we look at this aspect, the present government’s intentions to raise statues and to rename some conspicuous places on martyrs name are a welcome decision and real vision to pay tributes to the martyrs, and to remember their families, who lay their life for the sake of the country. Such directives are required to be pushed forward by the local administration and Army local headquarters need to keep track of such concerns. We have a living example in Udhampur, when we observe that both army formations as well as local administration strongly believe in remembering martyrs who were high ranking and such families are well taken care of on occasions to remember martyrs and families from down below rank martyrs are never remembered on such occasions. The martyrdom of Subedar Krishan Singh Jamwal, Vir Chakra Awardees, highly decorated martyr of 1948, resident of a small village Urlian in tehsil Udhampur under the jurisdiction of police station Rehamble, is an eye opener.
During the turmoil period of independence, the violent attempts of Pak Army to capture Indian Territory were frequently attempted in the Poonch sector and the army unit of 8th Jak Rifle was entrusted to deal with such attempts of the Pak Army. In a similar attempt, an Indian army picket number 12 was captured by Pak Army in Poonch sector. To recapture the picket, a small group of Indian army was deputed by Captain Kirpal Singh coy commander of 8th Jak Rifle under the command of Subedar Krishan Singh Jamwal. The said group by crawling in the mid night of July 15/16, 1948, tried to recapture the occupied picket. A bayonet fight took place between this group and intruders of Pak Army and ultimately the picket was recaptured by the brave group but in the scuffle, Subedar Krishan Singh Jamwal and sepoy Bua Ditta lost their life for honoring the pride of the country and to maintain the territory of Indian soil. The brave sacrifice of both soldiers was recognized as exemplary and the Government of India decorated both war heroes of the episode posthumously by conferring second highest gallantry war time award ‘Vir Chakra’ in 1948. The daring deeds of Subedar Krishan Singh Jamwal stand well explained under the chapter “Poonch Khshetar Ki Raksha” in the book “Jak Rifles Ke Vir Senani (Jammu Aur Kashmir Rifle Ka Itihas). The place where the scuffle to recapture the picket took place and Subedar Krishan Singh Jamwal lost his life is well known as “Krishna Ghati” in Poonch sector as a mark of respect to the martyr (As per knowledge of the writer). The relatives of the martyr and residents of the village have constituted “Krishan Singh Jamwal Memorial Welfare Committee- Urlian’’ (KSMWC) and retired Sr. Superintendent of Police hailing from the same village, architect of this article is the President of the committee. The committee is working towards bringing into limelight those who have laid their life while serving for maintaining the integrity of their nation but are in oblivion and discarded by the administration and living a miserable life.
At first hand the committee through the efforts of ‘Poorav Seva Sanik Parishad’ got the name of the brave soldier Subedar Krishan Singh ,Vr.C, engraved in the list of martyrs at place ‘Shardhanjli Sthal’ raised just near to police station Udhampur. The committee took up the cause of allotment of just a few Marlas of land to raise the statue of Vir Chakra awardees Krishan Singh Jamwal and to name one of the conspicuous chowk of Udhampur on his name in the year 2015.
The matter remained shuttling betwixt the office of EO Municipality Udhampur and the office of DDC Udhampur till 2017, when hot pursuit and daily visits by “Krishan Singh Jamwal Memorial Welfare Committee- Urlian” (KSMWC) to these offices resulted in recommending the file by Deputy Commissioner Udhampur to Divisional Commissioner Jammu, for accord of approval for re-naming one of the Chowk of Udhampur in the name of the Martyr Krishan Singh Jamwal. Needless to mention that between this period the statues of other two martyrs of the district stand erected at NHW within reach of Army and in the city only because both were high ranking officers of the Army and Vr.C Awardee Krishan Singh Jamwal was just a Junior Commissioned Officer. The claim of similar treatment is being sought for the last many years but why the district administration is discriminating with ever first Vir Chakra awardees of 1948 is a million dollar question and administration needs to clarify this discriminatory attitude and Army Authorities (Northern Command located at Udhampur) needs to analyze this discrimination for fair deal with martyrs irrespective of the rank of martyr.
Losing all hopes in administrative machinery that was sitting over the file, for the last three years, the “Krishan Singh Jamwal Memorial Welfare Committee- Uralian” through its President lodged a grievance under No: 999000995578 with Governors Grievance Cell on 12 Nov 2018 and now the said file sent to Principal Secretary to Government Housing and Urban Development vide No: 402/200/RE-Naming/907 Dated 18-12-2020 by Div Com Jammu exactly after two years as intimated by Grievance Cell on 05-02-2021. How the files move in such higher offices and how serious is our Grievance Cell in redressing the grievances is a matter of concern.
Before concluding, the million dollar question here arises: why are the martyrs discriminated against? Are all welfare schemes on papers? Is it a hoax created by governments to honor the martyrs by raising their statues and naming of conspicuous places in their concerned places of belonging? Does the responsibility of authorities seize after carrying dead bodies of martyrs on their shoulders, attending funerals with state honor and politicians announcing many tall commitments to remember these martyrs in the time ahead. “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” -Walt Disney. |
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