A secret hideout of Bhagat Singh and other revolutionaries

With the AAP government following the ideology of Bhagat Singh and all government offices also putting up his pictures and of Dr BR Ambedkar, a ray of hope has emerged among the residents who have been demanding that the secret hideout place of Bhagat Singh and other freedom fighters should be converted into a museum. RAAKHI JAGGA explains the history associated with this place.

Where is the secret hideout place located ?

It is a double storey building located in Turi Bazar of Ferozepur in a 1,150 square feet area. This is part of the old city of Ferozepur . Though many old residents or families of freedom fighters were aware of this hideout. However, the general public came to know about it on August 20, 2014 after a book by historian Rakesh Kumar was published. Kumar is a retired railway employee and author of 16 books out of which 12 are related to the history of India’s freedom struggle. This place used to be a hideout place for freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Chandershekhar Azad, Sukhdev, Vijay Kumar Sinha, Dr Gaya Prasad, Mahabir Singh and Jai Gopal, said Kumar.

What happened after the public came to know about this hideout place ?

The Punjab government asked for documents from Kumar on the basis of his book ‘ secret hideout’ . The archeology department had later issued a notification to declare it a protected monument and finally on December 17,2015 department of tourism and cultural affairs , Punjab declared it a protected monument . However nothing happened afterwards. Neither any step was taken to take over the building nor any funds were allocated for it.

What activities used to be carried out at this place ?

This place remained a hideout for revolutionaries from August 10, 1928 till February 9, 1929 as British police ahd discovered it by then. Revolutaries used to make strategies at this place as to how to turn Britishers out of the country. They also used to do shooting practice as proofs had been found at this place, told Kumar. Revolutaries used to change their identity and appearance while travelling on their way to secret hideouts . Bhagat Singh’s hair and beard were also cut at this place to hide his identity from the British, reveal Kumar.

What is being done presently at this place ?

As of now the building is under the control of Krishna Bhagti Satsung Trust and this control has been going on for the past many decades and tenants are living in the building.The ground floor has two shops where one shop is being run as a kirana store and other by some accountant. The latter shop remains closed for most of the time. On the first floor lives a tailor with his family. The building was constructed in the same way and no changes have been done till now , claimed Kumar , Earlier on the ground floor freedom fighters cum doctors used to run their clinics and on the first floor hideout place was located . Nand Kishore Sharma, one of the trustees had even claimed in the past that his grandfather Lahori Ram Shastri had met Bhagat Singh at that time .

The persons District administration Ferozepur meanwhile has asked the owners and tenants of the building not to alter the structure. They have even been asked not to sell the building. It has been learnt that Nand Kishore Sharma himself had offered Rs 50,000 donation if the government will take over this building to make a museum in the memory of revolutionaries including Bhagat Singh.

What efforts are being carried out at present ?

In March 2018, a mega protest was held by residents of the area at Turi bazar demanding the Punjab government to convert the building into a museum and even to preserve the building. In August, 2017 the then cultural and tourism affairs minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had even promised a grant for the memorial . Soon after the AAP government came into power, Rakesh Kumar wrote to Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann to look into this matter urgently. He wrote this letter on March 17. ” After the Punjab CM took oath at Khatkar Kalan, a raye of hope developed in me and followers of Bhagat Singh’s ideology that he will definitely do something for this hideout place. Hence, we request him to convert this place into a museum and preserve the building . This will be a true tribute by the AAP government to the revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Azad and others,” said Kumar.

With Thanks Refrence to: https://hindi.news18.com/news/knowledge/stephen-hawking-black-hole-information-paradox-solved-albert-einstein-relativity-viks-4078358.html