Honorable
Chief Minister, Punjab
Chandigarh
Through-S.
Manpreet Singh Badal
Finance
Minister, Punjab
Subject: Acquiring
copy of Bhagat Singh 160 Case files in Punjab Archives, Lahore
Respected Sir,
I am
sending this representation through S. Manpreet Singh Badal, Honorable Finance
Minister Punjab, knowing his deep interest in legacy of Shaheed Bhagat Singh
and being personally known to him because of this common interest.
It is well known that Punjab Archives in
Anarkali tomb, Lahore has many files relating to the court cases of Bhagat
Singh. Its numbers were mentioned from 135 to 165. Scholars, including me,
visiting this archive were not shown these files, but sometime some item was
shared. However, situation has now changed for the better. On 23rd
March 2018, for the first time Lahore archives held a month-long exhibition of
more than 200 items from Bhagat Singh files. There was a plan to digitalize
these files.
When Sh.
Kuldip Nayar was alive and I was also in active service of JNU as Professor, he
told me that he would speak to then Chief Minister of West Punjab Shahbaz
Sharif, who was his personal friend and get these files accessible. He had
suggested that I could go to Lahore to access these files. But as Indo-Pak
relations worsened in years to come, this idea could not materialize.
Few years
ago, when Rana Bhagwan Das, who was then acting Chief Justice of Pakistan
Supreme Court, on a personal visit to India, had gifted a copy of record of
Bhagat Singh case in Punjab High Court Lahore to Punjab and Haryana High Court
Chandigarh, but that was just court record, mainly judgement, the case files of
police were not part of the court records.
In a latest book on The Execution of Bhagat Singh by
Barrister Satvinder Juss, who is also Professor of Law at Kings College London,
has for the first time produced the details of 160 files relating to Bhagat
Singh case. Barrister Satvinder Juss as British scholar was given access to
these all files and he made liberal use of the resources of these files in his
book published in 2021 from London and New Delhi. I am attaching copy of the
eight pages having details of these files.
I think it is Indian Punjab’s moral duty to
acquire the copy of these files-digital as well as photo copy, if not original.
It is also Pakistani Punjab’s moral responsibility to happily share these files
with their Indian Punjab Government. It is a happy situation now when Pakistani
Punjab and Pakistan in general has acknowledged Bhagat Singh as a freedom
fighter and they are preserving legacy of Bhagat Singh in a proper manner and
allowing even foreign scholars to consult these. But this is as much a fact
that Bhagat Singh enjoys a special status in India and especially in Indian
Punjab as their most beloved revolutionary hero. So, it is most appropriate
that after 74 years of partition and almost nine decades of Bhagat Singh’s
execution, the records of Bhagat Singh case files is kept in one of important
archives of Indian Punjab, in some University or state archives. And a copy is
also given to Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre, Delhi Archives New
Delhi for consultation of its visitors.
I
trust and hope that Punjab Government Chandigarh will immediately set in motion
the official communication with Punjab Govt. Lahore to acquire these most
valuable historic records, which includes many unrevealed aspects of Punjab
history as it includes thousands of pages of documents, photographs and other
material.
With best regards
(Chaman Lal)
Honorary advisor, Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource
Centre, Delhi
Ex Dean, Faculty of Languages, Panjab University
Chandigarh
Former Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU),
New Delhi
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