Chandigarh, November 5:- The poetry book ‘Chaurasinama’, authored by Dr. Harwinder Singh Bhatti, former professor at Punjabi University, Patiala, and social analyst, was released for readers at the Chandigarh Press Club. The book was jointly released by former Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Singh Sahib Bhai Ranjit Singh, former Chief Secretary of Punjab Ramesh Inder Singh, Chairman of Punjabi Lok Virasat Akademi, Ludhiana, Prof. Gurbhajan Singh Gill, former Secretary of Punjabi Akademi, Delhi, Gurbhej Singh Guraya, senior journalist Jagtar Singh Bhullar, Daljit Singh Shahi and Davinder Pal, Director of Arbide World Channel.
At the beginning of the ceremony, renowned journalist and writer Jagtar Singh Bhullar said that Punjab had asked for neither 1947 nor 1984, but because of political greed, the land of Punjab and Delhi was left blood-soaked during both 1947 and 1984. He questioned who had looted, beaten and killed the people of Punjab from 1947 to 1984, adding that darkness still prevailed and people had not received justice.
On this occasion, Prof. Gurbhajan Singh Gill, Chairman of Punjabi Lok Virasat Akademi, Ludhiana, recalled the period around November 10, 1984. He said that when displaced people from Delhi and Kanpur arrived in Ludhiana by trains, buses and their own vehicles, considering it a safe place, it was difficult to listen to and witness the pain and suffering they had endured. He said he had personally witnessed another painful aspect: instead of sharing the suffering of the displaced people, residents of Ludhiana doubled and tripled the prices of houses, plots and shops overnight. Schools, rather than helping the displaced families, refused to admit their children.
During that difficult time, compassionate Giani Raghbir Singh and Giani Harjit Singh Ji started GGN Public School in a corner of Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Ludhiana. In this way, efforts were also made to help those Sikh families resettle.
Former Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Singh Sahib Bhai Ranjit Singh, Ramesh Inder Singh, film actor Shri Girja Shankar, who is settled in the United States and played Dhritarashtra in the television serial Mahabharat, retired University of California professor Dr. Gurinder Singh Mann, editor of Hoon magazine Sushil Dosanjh, Punjabi writer Daljit Shahi, Advocate Samrala, and Gurbhej Singh Guraya also addressed the gathering.
Prof. Harwinder Singh Bhatti, author of the poetry book ‘Chaurasinama’, said that in mob rule, one does not even realise when a human being turns into a devil. The same had happened during the Partition of the country in 1947 and the massacre in Delhi. In Delhi, those who had massacred Sikhs later came forward to console the surviving Sikhs.
Gurbhej Singh Guraya said that Dr. Harwinder Singh Bhatti's younger brother had also been killed in the massacre. He added that after serving as a student leader and teachers' leader, Dr. Bhatti had served Punjabi University for nearly 35 years as a professor of social sciences, performing responsibilities related to teaching, research and administration.
On this occasion, several distinguished personalities also attended the ceremony, including Unistar Publication House owner Harish Jain, former Chief Secretary of Punjab Suresh Kumar, former Punjab DGP S. Sarabdeep Singh Virk, noted journalists Baljit Balli, Sarabjit Dhaliwal and Rajinder Singh Taggar, Ajaib Singh Aujla, Surjit Vishad Samrala, progressive farmer Daman Sharma of Ludhiana, Punjabi Lekhak Sabha President Deepak Sharma Chanarathal, former AIG Harpreet Singh Sandhu, Sukhdev Singh Virk, Rattan Singh Brar, Engineer Sarabjit Singh Sohal, former senior leader of the All India Sikh Students Federation, Spokesman newspaper editor Kamal Dusanjh, Punjabi Tribune Assistant Editor Jasbir Samar, former Principal of Guru Gobind Singh College, Chandigarh, Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Punjabi thinker and noted novelist Prof. Santosh Singh Aujla, Dr. Gurpreet Singh Lahil, retired Doordarshan News Editor Harbans Sodhi, Zora Singh, Davinder Davi and others. The programme was conducted by S. Gurbhej Singh Guraya (Delhi) in a brief yet meaningful manner.
