Payal constituency MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura on Saturday attended a function held at Gurdwara Sri Damdama Sahib, village Rabbon Uchi, Payal, (Ludhiana) to pay homage to the great Sikh revolutionary and freedom fighter Baba Maharaj Singh Ji on his martyrdom day. Sant Baba Jagjit Singh Harkhowal Wale and other prominent personalities were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the function, MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura said that Baba Maharaj Singh Ji was the first martyr of the freedom struggle. He said that Baba Maharaj Singh led the anti-British movement in Punjab after the first Sikh-Anglo war and inspired the people to fight for the unity and integrity of the country and called upon them to follow the path shown by the first martyr of the freedom struggle.
Giaspura further said that Baba Maharaj Singh Ji was a great patriot, who sacrificed his life for the freedom of the country. He said that there were attempts to present the 1857 rebellion as the beginning of the country’s war of independence, but history has proven that Baba Maharaj Singh had started the struggle for the independence of the country at the same time when he tried to free the last Sikh ruler Maharaja Duleep Singh from the clutches of the British. However, the British got wind of the planning made by Baba Maharaj Singh along with his associates, as a result of which they imprisoned Baba Maharaj Singh and sent him to Singapore where Baba Maharaj Singh, struggling with many hardships, died a martyr on July 5, 1856.
He said that Baba Maharaj Singh Ji spent 6 years in that dungeon with the help of Naam Simran where his eyesight kept going and he fell victim to an incurable disease like cancer, but with the help of spiritual power he always remained in a state of excellence. He did not accept the British and remained in the jail of Singapore till his last day on July 5, 1856. He said that here we should praise Sant Baba Jagjit Singh Harkhowal who has built a magnificent Gurdwara in his memory at his birthplace village Rabbon Uchi. He said that he will always strive for the development of Baba Ji’s birthplace village Rabbon Uchi.
After this, MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura also paid obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Damdama Sahib Sahib. The management committee also presented a book on the biography of Baba Maharaj Singh Ji.
A large number of devotees were present on this occasion, apart from Piara Singh, Chhinder Pal Singh, Darshan Singh.
