Avoid ‘unreal’ photographs of Bhagat Singh in offices, scholar tells Arvind Kejriwal

Shubhadeep Choudhury

New Delhi, January 29

While congratulating the Delhi government for deciding to put only BR Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh photographs in its offices, Chaman Lal, retired JNU professor and reputed scholar on revolutionary freedom struggle in Punjab, has urged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to use only “real photograph” of Bhagat Singh for this purpose.

“It is requested that while using Bhagat Singh photograph only real photographs may be used and any painting-based unreal photo may be avoided for office use of a historic personality. Real photos are certified by the family of Bhagat Singh,” Chaman Lal wrote in a letter addressed to Kejriwal.

Lal, who is Honorary Advisor, Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre, Delhi, wrote that sometimes the Centre and Punjab government have been found using painting-based unreal pictures of Bhagat Singh in advertisements, which always has been objected to by the Bhagat Singh’s family and scholars of freedom struggle.

“Unreal photograph of no other freedom fighter or national icon such as Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Subhas Bose or Ambedkar is used for official purpose. This injustice is done only to Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh and Kartar Singh Sarabha,” Chaman Lal wrote.

Lal said that while implementing the laudable decision the Delhi government can also undo the injustice done by the central and many state governments to Bhagat Singh by using his wrong, faulty, unreal and painting-based portraits in advertisements. The Delhi government has already set up Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre and picture of Bhagat Singh can be arranged from the archives.

Lal also requested Kejriwal that out of three new universities set up by the Delhi government one may be named after Bhagat Singh. “I suggest that Teachers Training University may be named after Bhagat Singh. Delhi already has universities named after Ambedkar and Netaji Subhas Bose. It will be appropriate to have a university named after Bhagat Singh. Delhi can become the first state to name a university after Bhagat Singh,” Lal wrote in his letter to the Delhi CM.