Journey of a soldier from Punjab to Canada
Every November’s first Sunday, Canadians of Punjabi origin, especially Sikhs, fondly remember the journey of an Indian soldier from Punjab to Ontario during World War I. For them, it is a special day as it has been observed for the past decade as the “Sikh Remembrance Day” at the grave of Pvt Buckam Singh in Ontario.
Singh, who was born in Mahilpur, District Hoshiarpur, in 1893, died of war-induced illness in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1919. His grave is regarded as the only one of a Sikh soldier in Canada from both World Wars. He was part of the Canadian infantry. He was rescued from oblivion about a decade ago when his victory medal was found by Canada-based historian Sandeep Singh Brar. Buckam’s grave was also discovered by Brar at the Mount Hope Cemetery. Buckam was married at the age of nine. He had just turned a teenager when he landed in Canada in 1907. The harsh laws for immigrants neither allowed him to vote nor bring his bride to his adopted country. The young man first worked as a miner and then as a farmhand, and then enrolled himself in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force. In 1915, he travelled to England to participate in World War I as part of the Canadian forces. Buckam was among the 10-odd Sikhs who fought for Canada in the “white man’s war”. Two of his comrades, Pvt Gouger (Goojar) Singh and Pvt Lashman Singh, were killed in action in Belgium and France, respectively. Buckam’s wife Pritam Kaur is said to have stayed on at her in-laws’ place and never remarried.
Meanwhile, a 10-foot bronze statue in honour of Indian soldiers, who fought during World War I, was unveiled at Smethwick in England last Sunday. Unveiling came a week before Armistice Day today (11 November). Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Smethwick, had commissioned the “Lions of the Great War” monument, which depicts a Sikh soldier, to honour the sacrifices made by millions of South Asian personnel of all faiths.
Congress seeks votes in Vajpayee’s name
The Congress has fielded late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s niece, Karuna Shukla against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh from Rajnandgaon Assembly constituency in the state elections. Raman Singh’s son Abhishek Singh is the sitting MP from Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency. The six Assembly seats under Rajnandgaon district will go to polls Monday, 12 November. With Congress trying to make Vajpayee its mascot in this seat, CM Raman Singh told this newspaper, that “the BJP and Vajpayeeji are synonymous.” Shukla on the other hand told this paper that the state government was “poles apart” from the ideology of her uncle. In her opinion, the BJP had changed its “chaal, charitra aur chehra (ways, character and face)”. “Atalji’s teachings and courage are in my blood.” Shukla alleged that the CM ignored his home constituency and no development had taken place there. “It is a sorry state of affairs in Rajnandgaon,” she said. “There is a scarcity of water. Corruption is thriving.” However, local BJP leaders said Shukla was “an outsider” and stood no chance of denting the CM’s clean image.
Hari Singh’s car up for auction in London
A rare vintage sports car originally owned by Hari Singh, the last Maharaja of Kashmir, will be the highlight of an auction in London next month. The 1924 Vauxhall 30-98 OE Velox Tourer Chassis no. OE 115, is recognised among the finest British sports cars of the vintage era. It is estimated to fetch between £330,000 and £390,000 when it comes up in the Bonhams Bond Street Sale on 2 December.
“This is the finest 30-98 ever offered by Bonhams, and its rare aluminium body and extraordinary specification makes it one of the most important examples in existence,” says Sholto Gilbertson, an official at Bonhams. “Its fascinating history only adds to the significance of this motor car.” Maharaja Hari Singh had ordered an extra handbrake on the passenger’s side, a door on the passenger’s side (non-standard) and a split windscreen, though he drew the line at two steering wheels. The car has gone through several influential owners in India, Pakistan, America and Britain, including the legendary car collector and master watchmaker George Daniels and Ed Roy, an influential Bostonian in the motoring world and president of the Vintage Sports-Car Club of America.
Established in 1793, Bonhams is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers.
Congress used PM lookalike in Bastar
The Congress is using a Prime Minister Narendra Modi lookalike in Maoist-affected Bastar region for its election campaign. Meet Abhinandan Pathak, who dresses and speaks like PM Modi. He starts his speech with the PM’s typical style, “Mitron” and tells people that in BJP rule “achche din nahin ayenge”. Pathak joined the Congress last month in the presence of Raj Babbar. He was earlier with the BJP-led NDA constituent Republican Party of India (Athawale) as its state vice-president for Uttar Pradesh. Before that he used to campaign for the saffron party and its allies.
During the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, many Modi lookalikes, including Pathak, had surfaced across the country to campaign for BJP. Pathak is now actively campaigning for Congress. He is attracting a good crowd everywhere. “Since I look like Modiji, people always asked me where are the ‘acche din’ (good days), as promised by the PM ahead of the 2014 general polls. Hurt by seeing problems of the common man, I left the BJP ally to join Congress,” Pathak says. Of course, a local BJP leader says that “There is only one Modi and there cannot be another. People can differentiate between the original and the fake.”
INLD fight excites BJP, Congress
The possibility of a split in the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has emerged following the expulsion of Dushyant Chautala and Digvijay Chautala—party patriarch Om Prakash Chautala’s grandsons. Dushyant is a Lok Sabha Member. Both the BJP and the Congress have stated fishing in INLD’s troubled waters. Both are expecting an exodus from the INLD, which has been out of power for over 14 years.
The BJP is hopeful of a split in the INLD’s Jat votes and a consolidation of non-Jat votes in its favour, giving it an edge in next year’s elections. The BJP is also claiming that several INLD functionaries, including former and current legislators, are in touch with them. Two BJP ministers, Anil Vij and Krishan Dev Kamboj, have already shown their “affection” for Dushyant Chautala, saying that “they are welcome to join the BJP”.
Sanjay Bhatia, BJP general secretary, told The Sunday Guardian that “Factionalism in the Congress and the INLD will prove their nemesis. Our excellent performance at the Central and state levels will put the BJP at a great advantage.”
On the other hand, the Congress believes that an INLD split will further strengthen the hands of former Jat CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and consolidate Jat votes in its favour. It also believes that a split in the INLD will “neutralise” any advantage the party will have accrued from its recent alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party.