Mann bats for Bharat Ratna for martyrs Udham Singh, Bhagat Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday batted for Bharat Ratna award for the legendary martyrs Udham Singh, Bhagat Singh and Kartar Singh Sarabha, who had made unparalleled sacrifices for the country.

Interacting with the media here after paying floral tributes to Udham Singh at his memorial on his martyrdom day, the Chief Minister said bestowing the Bharat Ratna award to these iconic martyrs will enhance the prestige of the award.

He said these great martyrs really deserve this award because they had made supreme sacrifices to emancipate the country from foreign clutches.

However, Mann said the 'pseudo-nationalist' Union government is least bothered about honouring such sons of the soil.

Rather, the Chief Minister said the Union government is giving a severe blow to the legacy of these martyrs by muzzling the democracy in the country.

He said these nationalists had laid down their lives for the sake of freedom and democracy in the country but unfortunately, the Union government is jeopardising the democratic system through ordinances.

Mann said this is totally in contrast to the country envisioned by the great patriots during the struggle for freedom.

The Chief Minister said the supreme sacrifice made by legendary martyr Udham Singh will always inspire the youth for selfless service to the nation, adding the countrymen are enjoying the fruits of freedom due to the enormous sacrifices made by such legendary heroes.

He said Shaheed Udham Singh was a true son of soil, who had in a heroic act exhibited exemplary courage by killing Michael O' Dwyer, the prime perpetrator of Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Mann said the unprecedented sacrifice made by this iconic martyr at the altar of national freedom helped the country to overthrow the yoke of British Imperialism.

The Chief Minister said that Shaheed Udham Singh waited for 21 years to avenge the massacre of Jallianwala Bagh and thus laid the foundation of the freedom of the nation.

The Chief Minister said his government will make efforts to bring back the personal belongings of Shaheed Udham Singh from London.

He said the state government will raise these issues at all the relevant platforms so as to bring back these belongings at the earliest.

Mann said even the things associated with Shaheed Bhagat Singh lying in Pakistan will also be brought back.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet minister Aman Arora and others.