Ludhiana: Removal of martyr Lt Manprit Singh Goldi’s name from the official title of a govt school in Jagraon has sparked strong resentment among Ex-Servicemen and city residents. The issue came to fore after the martyr’s parents wrote to the chief minister and other authorities, seeking restoration of their son’s name, which had earlier been associated with the school.The development has upset former defence personnel, who said that erasing the name of a martyr from an educational institution sends the wrong message and undermines the sacrifices made by soldiers who laid down their lives for the country. They have demanded that the govt immediately rectify what they termed a serious mistake and restore the school’s original official name.Brigadier Surinder Singh Gill (retd), a member of the Indian Ex-Services League, said it was unfortunate that the name of a martyr had been removed from the school. He said the nation must never forget soldiers who sacrificed their lives while serving the country. Brigadier Gill added that associating institutions with martyrs helps preserve their legacy and instills values of patriotism among future generations. Saying that the move had deeply pained Ex-Servicemen and members of the martyr’s family, he demanded immediate restoration of Lt Manprit Singh Goldi’s name in the educational institution.Brigadier Inder Mohan Singh (retd), president of the Indian Ex-Services League and resident of Ludhiana, also expressed concern over the matter. He said the organisation would write to the chief minister to highlight the issue and seek intervention for restoring the martyr’s name to the school. Colonel Gurjinder Singh Sidhu (retd), a resident of Khanna, said it was painful for Ex-Servicemen to learn that the school, which had been named after the martyr following his sacrifice, no longer officially bore his name. He said adding the names of martyrs to institutions gives them a unique identity and helps keep alive the memory of their supreme sacrifice. Colonel Sidhu added that such names act as a powerful source of motivation for students and encourage young people to join the armed forces. He also said that associating an institution with a martyr’s name immortalises the soldier’s legacy. The retired officer asserted that he would take up the matter at the appropriate level to ensure that the school’s official name was restored.Anger over the removal of the martyr’s name was also evident among residents of Jagraon. Many locals said the decision had hurt public sentiment in the town to which Lt Manprit Singh Goldi belonged. Kanwaljit Khanna, general secretary of Inqualabi Kendra Punjab, said Shaheed Lt Manprit Singh Goldi was a “son of the soil” and that his sacrifice continued to be remembered with pride by people of Jagraon.Khanna said that while the words “School of Eminence” may be displayed at the school gate, the institution’s identity was incomplete without the name of the martyr. Jagraon MLA Sarvjit Kaur Manuke said she had taken up the matter with the education minister. She said the martyr’s name would be added back to the name of the school. A meeting would be held on the issue and the school principal had been transferred, with a new principal yet to join.
