Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda speaking at the First Ch. Ranbir Singh International Memorial Lecture in New Delhi on Saturdayevening. Former Speaker of Lok Sabha Balram Jakhar, Ambassador of Mangolia, Sanjaasuren Bhayaraa, Convener of the function Raghunath Singh and Prof. Jagbir Singh also seen in the picture.
Jalandhar/New Delhi, September 8, 2013: Chaudhary Ranbir Singh was a great freedom fighter and a true Gandhian. He always raised voice for the poor, the weak and the farmers and his whole life was a saga of struggle, development and service.
These views were expressed by Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda at the First International Memorial Lecture on Ranbir Singh organised in New Delhi.
Hooda said that just at the age of 15 years, in 1929, he accompanied his father Matu Ram to Lahore Congress Session. After completion of his studies, he jumped into freedom movement at the call of Mahatma Gandhi in 1941. He was arrested and jailed for three and a half years. He remained in eight jails, out of which four are in Pakistan today. He was the last person to the released from the jail in 1946 in Punjab.
Hooda said that at the age of 33 years, he was made member of Constituent Assembly. He was the youngest member. He remained member of seven Houses – Constituent Assembly, Constituent Assembly (Legislative), Provisional Lok Sabha, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Punjab Vidhan Sabha and Haryana Vidhan Sabha. Everywhere he voiced his concern for the poor, the weak and the farmers. When he was Irrigation Minister in Punjab Government, Bhakra Dam was dedicated to the nation by the First Prime Minister of India Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, which brought prosperity not only in Punjab and Haryana, but also whole of India.
Hooda said that Ranbir Singh particularly paid attention to the welfare of freedom fighters. In 1972, he got approved Samman Pension for freedom fighters from the Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi. He used to say that they have sacrificed a lot for the nation, they should not suffer in free India. I always remember this and I am happy to say that in Haryana freedom fighters are given the highest Samman Pension as compared from other States, said Hooda. Haryana Government is trying its best to fulfill their dreams.
Hooda said that Ranbir Singh was not only a capable parliamentarian, minister and administrator, but also a nice human being. I learnt a lot from him. He was a man of principles and an honest person. About politics he used to say that today’s politics is quite different. At the age of 64, he retired from active politics and devoted himself to the social work.
Presiding over the function former speaker of Lok Sabha, Balram Jakhar remembered the services of Ranbir Singh to the society and the nation. He was like my elder brother and always inspired me to work hard, he said. “When I became Irrigation Minister, then I started sprinkle irrigation and gave subsidy to the farmers. I am happy that Bhupinder Singh Hooda is also doing the same today”, he said, adding, “As speaker of Lok Sabha, I never allowed indiscipline in the House. I used to say, those who become MPs and MLAs, they should think that they have come for the service of the people”.
Ch. Ranbir Singh established an example for others, when he voluntarily left politics at the age of 64, to devote himself to the social cause.
The President of Commonwealth of Sikhs, USA, Gurvinder Singh paid his tributes to Ranbir Singh, saying that he was a true Gandhian. He offered to hold next Ranbir Singh Memorial Lecture in America.
Ambassador of Mangolia in India Sanjaasuren Bhayaraa was the Chief Guest at the function. He said that he was very happy to know about various aspects of the life of Ch. Ranbir Singh.
Raghunath Singh and Prof. Jagbir Singh, conveners of the function, thanked the guests and the audience.