SRINAGAR, Aug 13: All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina on Thursday called for greater recognition of the contributions and sacrifices of lesser-known freedom fighters who played a significant role in India’s struggle for independence.
Addressing a press conference, Raina said the history of the freedom movement should not remain confined to a few prominent leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, while the contributions of numerous other patriots and revolutionaries remain largely unknown to the common people.
He specifically highlighted the contributions of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Abid Hussain Safrani of the Jai Hind Movement, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar of the Khilafat Movement and Rajguru. He also recalled the role of the Ghadar Movement and revolutionaries such as Kartar Singh Sarabha in challenging British rule.
Raina also emphasised the contribution of women leaders to the freedom movement, particularly Sarojini Naidu, who played an important role in mobilising women and strengthening the struggle against British rule.
He said independence meant more than merely commemorating August 15, as it gave citizens the freedom to live, study, work and participate in the democratic process by electing Parliament, legislative assemblies and governments.
“Today, our youth are celebrating Independence Day, but they must also understand what freedom means and the sacrifices made to achieve it,” Raina said, urging young people to study the history of India’s freedom struggle and understand the hardships endured by those who fought against British rule.
The APSCC chairman stressed that the freedom movement should not be attributed to any single community, pointing out that people from different sections of society, including Muslims and Sikhs, made significant sacrifices for the country’s independence.
He called for systematic documentation and wider recognition of grassroots-level freedom fighters from different parts of India so that their contributions could be preserved and made accessible to future generations.
Raina said the nation would remain indebted to all those who sacrificed their lives and contributed to securing India’s freedom, adding that remembering their contributions was essential for ensuring that the younger generation understood the true meaning and value of independence.