E-Paper
As the world celebrates Gandhi Jayanti, his memorial gathers dust in Punjab’s Phillaur
Cattle, waste material and polythene bags dot the memorial, whose safety net — the barbed wires — has also been “stolen”, leaving it with only poles. The passage leading to the site is in dilapidated condition too.
As the world gears up to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, the memorial and a statue in Phillaur dedicated to the father of the nation gathers dust.
Gandhi memorial on the banks of the Sutlej in Phillaur, where a part of Mahatma’s ashes was immersed, is in state of disrepair.
On top of that, the monument, only a few meters away from the National Highway 1 (now NH-44), has turned into a safe haven for drug addicts.
Cattle, waste material and polythene bags dot the memorial, whose safety net — the barbed wires — has also been “stolen”, leaving it with only poles. The passage leading to the site is in dilapidated condition too.
“It is now used for illegal sand mining. The area surrounding the place has been encroached upon by nomadic tribes. Buffaloes could be easily seen grazing around the place,” said Surinder Kumar, a visitor.
As per Tajinder Singh, an auto-rickshaw driver of Partap Garh village near Phillaur, drug addicts and anti-social elements frequent the place in the evening hours.
“During my childhood, it was a picnic spot. On weekends, my parents used to bring me here. Elderly residents of the town used to teach us the importance of this place and preaching of Mahatma Gandhi. It is unfortunate that such a historic monument has been ruined,” Tajinder said.
“Under the old bridge that is no longer operational, two youngsters can be seen taking drugs. Several others are busy taking selfies while walking over the defunct bridge. Sadly, none of them is aware about the Gandhi memorial. Authorities should install a board bearing the significance of this place,” said another youth, on the condition of anonymity.
“The apathetic condition of the memorial is a testimony of a concerted effort to ruin the Gandhian ideology from the region. Leave alone the BJP, even Congress leaders, who are self-proclaimed custodians of his philosophy, have never bothered about the current state of the memorial,” said Brij Bhushan Goyal, organising secretary, Mahatma Gandhi Peace Mission.
“Sarvodya Mela on the lines of Chhapar fair used to be organised here every year till early 1980s, but the rise of terrorism in Punjab also saw the slow death of those celebrations,” Goyal added.
State of Gandhi Smarak no different
The situation of the Gandhi Samarak (statue) located near A- Zone of Mata Rani Chowk is no different.
The place is in neglect, which can be gauged from the sight of a plastic bottle kept near the Gandhi’s statue. While at one corner, some leftover food was lying, a garbage cart was parked near its boundary wall.
Phillaur SHO Jatinder Kumar said, “The issue of drug addicts thronging the area used to persist sometime ago, but I have not noticed anyone indulging in such practice ever since I assumed charge. However, we are still conducting routine checks on drug addicts and anti-social elements.”