Punjab: GSSSAT in dismay after govt refuses to observe Sikh warrior's death anniversary at state level

AMRITSAR: General Sardar Sham Singh Attariwala Trust (GSSSAT) is dismayed a lot after the Punjab government refused to observe the 175 death anniversary of Attariwala who was one of the trusted aide of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
While talking to TOI on Sunday, Harpreet Singh Sidhu, general secretary of GSSSAT said they were told by the local administration that the government was not observing the 175th death anniversary of Sham Singh Attariwala at the state level on February 10.
“We don’t know why the government took this decision but we are highly disappointed, every government in Punjab has been observing the death anniversary of a martyr as state-level function for past over a decade,” he said adding that state government should pass an ordinance to observe the death anniversary of Sham Singh Attariwala every year on its own.
“Otherwise also we have to do a lot of running around for persuading the government and make preparations for observing the death anniversary function as state level function “ he said.
Sham Singh had first caught Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s eye at an early age by his dash, vigor, and soldierly qualities. Soon he made his name in his first campaign when in command of a battery of guns at the siege of Multan in 1818 and in spite of being wounded, he was the first to breach in the fort and take it. Thereafter he served with distinction in many other campaigns in the North and gained as great a name for courage as his illustrious father Sardar Nihal Singh.
“Government is not even holding any program where his statue is installed", he resented.
In 2010, the then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had inaugurated the statue of Sham Singh Attariwala sitting on horseback costing Rs 3.75 crore at Naraingarh Chowk. In the past chief minister, Amarinder Singh had also announced to introduce a chapter on Sham Singh Attariwala in school textbooks, and rename the Attari railway station and Attari Integrated Check Post after his name.
“Announcements have been made but not to be fulfilled,” rued Harpreet.