Name Crawling Street near Jallianwala Bagh after martyrs: Sidhu writes to CM

Says PM Modi heads trust but did nothing for Jallianwala Bagh centenary, now BJP govt coming for photo-op.

Tourism and Cultural Affairs minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday wrote to CM Amarinder Singh to name Crawling Street near Jallianwala Bagh after the martyrs.

Navjot Singh Sidhu (HT File)

The street got it’s unusual name from the punishment the British meted out to locals. General Reginald Dyer, who had ordered his troops to fire at a crowd of more than 20,000 people gathered at Jallianwala Bagh on Baisakhi day, had issued an order that no one would walk through the street where a missionary Marcella Sherwood was attacked. The locals who needed to pass through it were told to crawl.

Sidhu said in his letter, he would suggest some names for rechristening Crawling Street. He also slammed PM Narendra Modi for not supporting Punjab for the centenary celebrations.

“The Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Trust that manages its affairs is under the PM. I had requested the Centre to release a special package of ₹100 crore to revamp infrastructure at the memorial for which we need to rise above party lines. Though ₹20 crore had been received for setting up a commemorative landscape and museum, it is lying unused as the trust has not issued a no objection certificate.”

He added, “But we cannot utilise it as the Centre is reluctant to give nod. Not a single brick has been laid as yet at the garden to give it the planned face-lift, This, despite the announcement made by the Centre that the centenary will be observed on a large scale across the country.”