Martyrdom not dependent on presumed presence or absence of official records: Govt

Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the nation will always be grateful to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, who laid down their lives for a better future for India.

New Delhi: The "martyrdom" of freedom fighters during the freedom struggle, including Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, is "a fact" and not dependent on the presumed presence or absence of official records, Lok Sabha was informed Tuesday.

In a written reply to a query seeking to know whether it is a fact that many freedom fighters have not been accorded the status of "martyr" yet, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said their invaluable contribution to India's freedom struggle forms an inalienable part of the discourse on it.

"Their names will always be written in golden words in the annals of Indian history," he said.

The government and the entire nation recognise their invaluable contribution during the freedom struggle, the minister said.

"The 'Dictionary of Martyrs of India's freedom struggle from 1857 to 1947, published by the Ministry of Culture, has recorded the names of all these freedom fighters, including Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. The Government of India's position on this has remained unchanged since 1947," he said.

"Their martyrdom in the supreme national cause of independence is a fact and is not dependent on the presumed presence or absence of official records. Their stature is far above any award or title or status accorded in this regard," he said.

The minister said the nation will always be grateful to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, who laid down their lives for a better future for India.