E-Paper
Essay on Udham Singh in Punjab school textbook misleading: Historian
Terming the essay published in the Punjabi textbook of Class 5 under the title ‘Shaheed Udham’, fallacious and misleading, the manch has demanded to replace or revise it
The Gadri Shaheed Udham Singh Vichar Manch led by prominent historian Rakesh Kumar has flagged myths, misconceptions and mendacious facts pertaining to martyr Udham Singh being taught in government schools in the state. Terming the essay published in the Punjabi textbook of Class 5 under the title ‘Shaheed Udham’, fallacious and misleading, the manch has demanded to replace or revise it. On Friday, they wrote letters to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, education minister Harjot Bains and the chairman of the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB).
“The essay states that Udham Singh witnessed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre with his own eyes, took revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh incident, held Michael O’Dwyer guilty for the massacre, knew about O’Dwyer’s participation in the meeting held at Caxton Hall, fired only at O’Dwyer, did not try to flee, did not get any lawyer and gave a statement about completion of duty. All these facts are far from historical facts. The authentic facts say otherwise. Even the photo published in the essay does not resemble him,” reads the letter.
Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Sunam, has written five research books on martyr Udham Singh and also discovered Bhagat Singh’s secret hideout in Turi Bazar of Ferozepur.
Principal Secretary of school education, Jaspreet Talwar, said, “We will look into it. We will refer the points raised by the historian to the Punjab School Education Board to resolve them.”
