Dots that join family of killed jawans: unkept promises, a hope for change

The son will never use the recharge. Neither will he taste the food cooked by his mother ever again. The last time the couple saw their son was on February 10, 2019, when he left the village for his posting in Jammu.

Four days later, Kulwinder (26) was killed, along with 39 others from the CRPF, in a terror attack when an explosive-laden SUV rammed into the bus they were travelling in and exploded. The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) had claimed responsibility for the attack. Of the 40 victims, four were from Punjab.

For the elderly couple, however, Kulwinder lives on in their memories and in a room dedicated to his belongings. On Thursday, a teary eyed Darshan and Amarjit sitting on a cot, were making plans to observe the third death anniversary of Kulwinder, who was scheduled to get married later in 2019.

Darshan, who worked as a truck driver from 1978 to 2019 before calling it a day, had been active in agitation against the now repealed three laws and is now keenly hoping for a change in the February 20 elections. Flags of jhaarhoo (broom), the poll symbol of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), dotting the roof of the house, Darshan Singh minces no words to express dismay over the ambush – and the doubts in his mind over it.

He is very straightforward in saying that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Congress and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) were “hand in glove (aapas vich ralle hoye ne)”, were linked as relatives (aapas vich rishtedaariyan ne)”, and were “colluding with each other to stop third party from coming to power (teeji party nu aun nahi dena chahunde)”.

Gurjant Singh with Sukhjinder’s wife Sarabjit Kaur

Darshan Singh laments that a two-km stretch of road in memory of his son was still a work in progress, and that it took a lot of efforts to get the village school named after his son. “It was promised, but no gate on village entry point has been constructed in the memory of my son “2570 jawans were traveling in the convoy. There was no arrangement for their security,” says Darshan, suspecting that the Pulwama incident was linked to “vote bank politics” ahead of May 2019 parliamentary polls and that government “did not make adequate security arrangements despite prior alert on probability of such attack”.

“Modi ne saada ghar khaali kar ditta ([PM Narendra] Modi has made our house empty). On one hand, there was no security arrangements for the convoy, on the other Modi makes a big issue when he goes back after 20 minutes’ halt in Punjab amid tight security cover and says he managed to return safely,” says Darshan, as he takes this correspondent to a room dedicated to his son. In the room, the photo of Kulwinder, who Darshan used to call by nickname Beera, lies wrapped in a blanket on the bed. Darshan tells, “For us he is still alive. It is winter, so we have wrapped his photo in blanket. In summers, we turn on cooler or fan in the room. Whenever, we eat, we first offer the food to him. Before drinking tea or eating food, we put it on the table in his room and ask Beera to have it. We offer bhog to him. After sometime we consume that. We get an annual pack recharged for his mobile phone, which is kept at his bed. He had purchased a Bullet [Enfield’ motorcycle. It stands parked outside his room.”

In the room, which is full of memories and photographs of Kulwinder, Darshan points to a wedding card lying on the bed and says every invite that we get for any function is kept at Beera’s room.

Rauli village falls in Ropar assembly constituency. Dinesh Chadha, an advocate by profession and a local, is AAP nominee from the constituency in his first ever plunge in Vidhan Sabha elections. Congress has fielded Punjab Youth Congress chief Brinder Singh Dhillon, Akali Dal its spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema and BJP has fielded former IPS officer Iqbal Singh Lalpura, who was appointed as Chairman of National Commission for Minorities in September last year.

In Gandiwind village in Tarn Taran district, located about 240 km from Chandigarh, the sentiment in favour of AAP reverberates equally if not more in the family of another Pulwama martyr Sukhjinder Singh, as his brother Gurjant Singh declares with conviction, “Is vaar jhaarhoo di sarkaar aaugi (This time AAP will form the government).” Pointing out that drug problem was a major issue, particularly in border belt, Gurjant says, “People have seen both the Akali Dal and the Congress. The successive governments failed to address the problem of drugs. AAP deserves a chance this time. The people are so angry due over continuing problem of drugs that women from families who had been earlier supporting Akali Dal and Congress would also vote for AAP.” Gurjant is all praise for AAP’s CM designate Bhagwant Mann who he said had visited the family to mourn the death of Sukhjinder, “spent around an hour and half with the family and remained in touch afterwards also”.

Gurjant has a long list of complaints, among them an “incomplete” sports stadium in the village announced in the memory of his brother and “job of peon” in a government school given to Sukhjinder’s wife. “Does it look good that a shaheed’s (martyr’s) wife serves tea as a peon. She is 10+2. At least she should have been given a job of laboratory assistant which we were demanding. Moreover, the government should not see her qualification, but should look at the sacrifice made by her husband,” rues Gurjant.

AAP nominee from Patti is first timer Laljit Singh Bhullar who is pitted against SAD’s Adaish Partap Singh Kairon, the son-in-law of Akali Dal patron Parkash Singh Badal, and Harminder Singh Gill of Congress.

Nearly 250 km from Chandigarh, in Dinanagar 74-year-old Satpal Attri, father of another Pulwama martyr Maninder Singh, too indicates that AAP is a very formidable player in these elections as he points out that the fight in Dinanagar was amongst AAP, Congress and BJP. Attri tells The Indian Express that AAP nominee was a retired government official and was a strong competitor in the constituency, even as he expresses gratitude to Congress nominee and sitting minister Aruna Chaudhary for helping out his younger son get job in Punjab police.
In 2017, AAP which had emerged as main opposition party in 117-members Punjab Vidhan Sabha with 20 seats could not win even a single seat of total 25 in Majha region of Punjab. Both Patti and Dinanagar constituencies are located in Majha and this time, there appears a considerable groundswell in the region for AAP as several voters The Indian Express talked to across the constituencies spelling out a common poll pitch – AAP deserves at least one chance this time.

Shamsher Singh is AAP nominee from Dinanagar, the constituency that falls in Gurdaspur district. BJP has fielded Renu Kashyap and SAD’s ally BSP has fielded Kamaljeet Chawla.

Attri (74) said Maninder was an IT graduate, and did not initially reveal that he had joined CRPF thinking that I may object since he was highly qualified. “I learnt about his recruitment in CRPF only when he showed up in uniform after joining the duty. My younger son also joined CRPF at around same time and I knew about that.”

Attri said after Maninder’s death, he wanted younger son Lakvish to be by his side. Lakvish resigned from CRPF and is now a constable in Punjab police. We wanted DSP post for him as he had requisite qualification for that.”

Attri gets emotional as he recounts the last words of his son. “I had made tea for him early in the morning as he was about to leave for Jammu that day. His last words to me were that “tuhaade hathan di last chaah pi chalya haan” (I am going after drinking tea made from you for the last time)”. I asked him what are you saying? He then said he will come back in April. Those words still echo in my mind,” says Attri who retired as traffic manager in Punjab Roadways in December 2005. “Before leaving, he had recently renovated the room where he was born on June 21, 1988, at fifteen past five in the morning. He dedicated the room to me saying it will serve as ‘VIP’ room for me. He put nameplate outside house mentioning my wife’s name and below my name.”

Jaimal Singh of Kot Ise Khan village in Moga district, located around 180 km from Chandigarh, was the fourth casualty from Punjab in Pulwama attack. He was driving the ill fated bus which was hit by explosives laden vehicle. Jaimal Singh’s wife Sukhjit Kaur is settled in Panchkula. Born after 16-years of marriage, Sukhjit tells, their son was five and half year old when Jaimal was killed. She is staying in Panchkula for the education of son in a local school where is studying in class III. Sukhjit said she and Jaimal had decided to move to Panchkula for the education of their son. “I decided to get the compassionate grounds job offer reserved for my son. He will get the job when he grows up and becomes eligible,” said Sukhjit, adding that she was being paid the salary which her husband used to get. Jaimal’s brother Nasib Singh, who works in Malaysia, was critical of politicians across party lines. “Everyone from Sukhbir Badal to Bhagwant Mann to Navjot Sidhu came. But, so a gate on the entry point in the village has not been constructed in the memory of my brother. Though, the school has been named after him, but there was a promise to construct gate also. Bhagwant Mann had assured, but subsequently he stopped answering the phone calls. Now, I am thinking to spend from my own pocket to get the gate constructed when I come back next time.”

Kot Isse Khan falls in Dharamkot constituency where AAP has fielded Devinderjeet Singh Laddi, Congress candidate is Sukhjit Singh Kaka Lohgarh and Tota Singh is Akali Dal nominee.

Darshan Singh of Rauli, meanwhile, says that it was height of indifference that earlier February 14 was declared as polling date in Punjab. It was changed to February 20 due to Guru Ravidass Jayanti. “Had it not been changed, we were planning a protest against polling date of February 14 which coincided with Pulwama attack.”