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Nine months on, Udham Singh’s museum in Punjab waits for its exhibits
Locals are demanding that the valuable articles and belongings of Shaheed Udham Singh should be shifted to the museum in his native place in Punjab
: Nine months after its inauguration, martyr Udham Singh’s museum is yet to be embellished with his valuable articles and belongings that are gathering dust at various places in and outside the country.
The museum was inaugurated at his memorial in his native village in Sunam by the then CM Capt Amarinder Singh on July 31, 2021, but there is nothing to exhibit as the local administration and government failed to shift any of his belongings to the museum.
As of now, Udham Singh’s belongings are lying at various places in Punjab, including Guru Nanak Dev University, Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall, Jalandhar, government college in Sunam, at his acquaintance’s place in Mandi Gobindgarh and Black museum in Scotland Yard.
Locals are demanding that his belongings should be shifted to the museum as most of the places where they are now kept are not right to exhibit such valuables.
Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Sunam who wrote five research books on Udham Singh and also discovered Bhagar Singh’s secret hideout in Turi Bazar of Ferozepur, said that two urns (Kalash) bearing mortal remains of Udham Singh are gathering dust at a library of Shaheed Udham Singh Arts College in Sunam.
A copy of ‘Heer’, a poetic love story, signed by Udham Singh is lying at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall, Jalandhar.
An original picture of the martyr that he had given to his friend Bawa Bishan is with the latter’s son Avtar Singh, who lives in Mandi Gobindgarh.
Rakesh informed that Udham Singh met Bawa Bishan when they were in America and became good friends.
Besides this, at least 14 original letters, written by Udham Singh have been kept at the library of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
His other belongings, including two pocket diaries, a pistol, which he used to kill former Punjab governor Michael O’ Dwyera, a cobbler knife, 2 empty cartridge cases, his clothes and other articles are lying at Black museum at Scotland Yard.
“What is the purpose of making his museum if there is nothing to exhibit? People from various places of the globe visit his memorial but they do not find anything related to the martyr, except his statue which also does not look like martyr Udham Singh,” said Rakesh.
Anil Kumar, vice president of Gadri Shaheed Udham Singh Vichar Manch, said, “the government and administration should shift all of his belongings to his museum. At least the belongings that are lying at various places in the state should be brought here at the earliest.”
“I was not aware of this issue. Now we will do the needful,” Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal said.
Sunam SDM Jaspreet Singh said, “as of now there is lack of security arrangements at the memorial. First, the local municipal committee will take it in its jurisdiction and then proper security arrangements will be made. After that we will shift all belongings of the martyr to the museum. A resolution has already been passed by the local municipal committee to take it in its jurisdiction and sent to the director of local government.”
