{Maharaja Ranjit Singh birth anniv today} 24 years after announcement, birthplace Sangrur village awaits Maharaja’s statue

The statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Badrukhan village in Sangrur; now, Punjab PWD minister Vijay Inder Singla has promised completion of the project in around three weeks

Sangrur Residents of Badrukhan village, believed to be the birthplace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in the district have been waiting for the installation of the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh for the past 24 years, when the then Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal promised to pay tribute to him in this form. The project has hung fire since.

At a state-level function to mark Maharja Ranjit Singh birth aniv in 1997, the then Punjab CM had promised that a statue of the Maharaja would be built at his birthplace Sangrur village. This (pic) is the state of the site today. (HT Photo)

Born on November 13, 1780, Sikh historians say that the Maharaja was born in Badrukhan. This was also the native village of his mother Raj Kaur, and the culture of that time was that the first child was to be delivered at the mother’s native place. Some historians, however, contend that he was born in Gujranwala in Pakistan.

In June this year, Punjab public works department (PWD) minister and Sangrur MLA Vijay Inder Singla said the state government had sanctioned ₹99.1 lakh for the development of a park and the installation of a new statue of the Maharaja. The work on the park is in progress, but the statue has not been installed so far.

Randeep Singh Mintu, son of a former sarpanch, said, “The SAD-BJP and the Congress, both, ruled for over 10 years after the announcement, but no one worked to install the statue of the Maharaja. The fort where the Maharaja was born in the village should be declared a museum and the state government should take responsibility for its care and maintenance.”

Sunam Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Aman Arora said, “I have raised the issue twice in the state assembly. The SAD, which claimed to provide a regime like that of Maharaja Ranjit Singh failed honour him by the installation of a statue.”

The SAD government had observed the birth anniversary of the Maharaja at state-level functions in 1997, 2001 and 2007. The Congress governments have held no such event.

“Work on the park and the statue near the Chandigarh-Bathinda national highway in the village is on and will be completed within 20-22 days,” Singla said. Sangrur deputy commissioner Ramvir said the Maharaja will be remembered on his birthday in Badrukhan on Saturday.