Guwahati: Today, the nation observed the 119th birth anniversary of revolutionary freedom fighter Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, who was born on 28th September , 1907, in Banga village in Lyallpur district of Punjab, now in Pakistan.
Born into a family associated with the freedom struggle, Bhagat Singh was the second of seven siblings. He was fondly called ‘Bhaganwala’, meaning the lucky one. He later became one of the most prominent figures of India’s revolutionary movement and was executed alongside Rajguru and Sukhdev.
Today, a state-level programme, ‘Jashn-e-Inquilab’, is being organised at Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana to mark his birth anniversary through cultural events. People are also visiting his ancestral village, Khatkar Kalan in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, to pay their respects.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Bhagat Singh, describing him as an inspirational figure, particularly for India’s youth. He recalled Bhagat Singh’s courage and his demand before his execution that he and his fellow revolutionaries be treated as prisoners of war and executed by firing squad rather than hanged.
Chief Minister Dr.Himanta Biswa Sarma also paid tribute to Bhagat Singh, highlighting his revolutionary consciousness and courage. Sarma drew parallels between Bhagat Singh and freedom fighters from Assam, including Kanaklata Barua, Kushal Konwar and Bhogeswari Phukanani.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also remembered Bhagat Singh and paid tribute to the revolutionary on his birth anniversary.