New Delhi, August 31 (IANS). 31 August 1995, exactly 29 years ago. The CM office in Chandigarh was bustling with activity as usual. Then the police got the information about the arrival of the state’s head Sardar Beant Singh and they swung into action. The CM’s bullet proof Ambassador car was parked in the portico. The CM arrived surrounded by commandos, he had not even sat in the car when a loud explosion occurred. Loud sound, dust all around and when it subsided, the secretariat complex was soaked in blood. The bodies of the people present there were scattered here and there. And the person who was in charge of Punjab had become a victim of the explosion.
This was the first such incident when a CM was targeted in the country. Beant Singh was one of the senior politicians of the Indian National Congress and the former Chief Minister of Punjab. Suppression of terrorism, economic development and social welfare were the main focus of his tenure. His name was counted among those leaders who were not limited to just a party or a political party, but were completely committed to the country and their state.
Punjab was burning in the fire of separatism in those days. Sardar Beant Singh was very strict as CM. He was against separatism and this was the biggest reason for his painful death.
Khalistani separatists shook the entire country by blowing up Beant Singh’s car with a human bomb, the echo of the blast reached Delhi. Beant Singh was a prominent politician of Punjab who served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1992 to 1995. Many important events took place in Punjab during his tenure, some of the prominent ones are:
Suppression of terrorism: The Punjab government led by Beant Singh took strong action against terrorism, thereby restoring peace and stability in Punjab.
Economic Development: Beant Singh took several steps for the economic development of Punjab, which included promoting the agricultural sector and encouraging industries.
Social Welfare: Beant Singh also took several steps in the field of social welfare, which included improvements in the education and health sectors.
Sardar Beant Singh, born in 1922, took a pledge to serve the country at a very young age. Initially, he joined the Indian Army but Beant Singh, who was restless to serve the people, decided to leave the army and entered politics.
Apart from these few anecdotes, there are many other important aspects related to the life and tenure of Beant Singh, which reflect his personality and leadership.
–IANS
AMJ/KR