At last efforts made by residents and members of the Public Action Committee (PAC) and intervention of the Army bore fruits as the statue of Major Bhupinder Singh, MVC, and the captured tank are back at Bharat Nagar Chowk.
Further, the authorities are in the process of getting it installed in a proper manner. It marks an important step towards restoring the city's heritage and honouring the memory of a national hero.
Welcoming the move, members of the Public Action Committee (PAC) said the organisation acknowledges the constructive role played by residents, ex-servicemen and the media in bringing attention to the issue.
"We also note that representations made by ex-servicemen to the Army authorities, including Northern Command, helped facilitate engagement with the civil administration and contributed to the outcome", said Kapil Arora, Jaskirat Singh and Kuldeep Khaira of the PAC.
The PAC, Mattewara, has also emphasised that the restoration work must be carried out with full dignity and in a manner befitting the sacrifice of Major Bhupinder Singh. The design, placement, lighting and maintenance of the memorial should ensure high visibility, safety and lasting respect.
It is also important that the original name 'Bharat Nagar Chowk' is prominently restored. The existing damaged signage should be replaced with proper and uniform signage, with due use of Punjabi language in accordance with legal requirements and local cultural context.
The statue was removed from the chowk when the overbridge had to be constructed but when it was completed, the insignia of a leading bicycle company was placed at the spot, to which people and social organisations had raised objections. Even the Army had to intervene to make a request to the district administration to reinstall the original statue at the place. All efforts brought positive results and the statue was placed again at the chowk on Tuesday.
Justice done at last, says alma mater employee
After years of apathy, at last justice had been done by the administration in placing again the Patton tank (of Pakistan) in Bharat Nagar Chowk, captured by Major Bhupinder Singh during the Indo-Pak war, which made the battle decisive in the nation's favour. Alumnus of SCD Government College, Ludhiana, he graduated from there in 1947 after doing matriculation from Sultanpur Lodhi in 1943. The administration should also mention the fact at the site, said Brij Bhushan Goyal, organising secretary of the college.